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Creativity and the spirit of service come together in a transforming encounter

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

# 155 vol. XXXVIII July/August 2011 English Edition

“People show their creativity by proving to be capable of viewing reality from

different angles and taking pleasure in playing

with ideas”

TEO [Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology]

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Founded in 1944, ODEbrECHT is a Brazilian organization made up of diversified businesses with global operations and world-class standards of quality. Its 140,000 members are present in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Next issue:Communities

rESPONSIbLE FOr COrPOrATE COMMUNICATION AT CONSTrUTOrA NOrbErTO ODEbrECHT S.A. Márcio Polidoro

rESPONSIbLE FOr PUbLICATIONS PrOGrAMS AT CONSTrUTOrA NOrbErTO ODEbrECHT S.A. Karolina Gutiez

bUSINESS ArEA COOrDINATOrS Nelson Letaif Chemicals & Petrochemicals | Andressa Saurin Ethanol & Sugar | Bárbara Nitto Oil & Gas | Daelcio Freitas Environmental Engineering | Sergio Kertész Real Estate Developments | Coordinator at Odebrecht Foundation Vivian Barbosa

EDITOrIAL COOrDINATION Versal Editores Editor-in-Chief José Enrique BarreiroExecutive Editor Cláudio Lovato Filho English Translation by H. Sabrina GledhillArt/Graphic Production Rogério NunesGraphic Design and Illustrations Rico LinsPhoto Editor Holanda Cavalcanti Electronic Publishing Maria Celia Olivieri

Printing 1,600 copies | Pre-Press and Printing Pancrom

EDITOrIAL OFFICES Rio de Janeiro +55 21 2239-1778 | São Paulo + 55 11 3641- 4743email: [email protected] Originally published in Portuguese. Also available in Spanish.

022_OI155_Capa_ING.indd 2 8/1/11 9:52 AM

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1INFORMA

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Online edition Online archive Innovations Video reports Blog

> In Angola, the theater is

one way to inform people

and raise awareness on

Health, Workplace Safety

and Environment

> Check out Odebrecht’s

innovative Shared Services

Center

> Clean Water Project takes

Brazilian state of Espírito

Santo to a new level in

terms of sanitation (water

and sewer)

>Salgueiro: community

relations and a major

project in the backlands

of northeastern Brazil

> Special features that make

the iTower offi ce tower

project unique

> Follow Odebrecht Informa

on Twitter and get the

latest news in real time

@odbinforma

> Comment on blog entries

and participate by sending

suggestions to the editors

> Read posts on the

Odebrecht Informa

blog by the magazine’s

reporters and editors,

including Cláudio Lovato

Filho, Fabiana Cabral,

José Enrique Barreiro,

Karolina Gutiez, Renata

Meyer, Rodrigo Vilar,

Thereza Martins, Zaccaria

Júnior and collaborators.

> P-59 platform is the center of attraction

in a fi rst for the global oil industry

> Antonio Cardilli launches the

Savvy – Folks Who’ve Learned from

Work and Life Project

> At Quintas Private Residences,

sharing a dream makes

it come true

SAFEGUARDING SUSTAINABILITY

Cetrel ensures environmental protection in

the Camaçari Complex’s sphere of infl uence

> Access all back issues of Odebrecht

Informa since no. 1, and download

full issues in PDF

> Odebrecht Annual Reports since 2002

> Special publications (Special Issue on Social

Programs, 60 years of the Odebrecht Group,

40 Years of the Odebrecht Foundation and

10 Years of Odeprev)

> You can view

this entire issue

in HTML

and PDF

www.odebrechtonline.com.brRead Odebrecht Informa on your iPad and smartphone.

Features, articles, videos, photos, animations and infographics.

The achievements of the Odebrecht Organization on your tablet and smartphone.


3INFORMA

#155

Innovation & technology

Cover photo by Nilton Souza

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Quintas Private makes luxury homes accessible through fractional ownership

New Orleans is working at top speed to protect itself from natural disasters

Pioneering engineering solutions score winning goals at the Fonte Nova Arena works

Railways are coming to make life easier in Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Sul

Luiz Roberto Chagas: innovation is the engine that drives an organization’s competitiveness and growth

A program that encourages teams to pursue innovative solutions and recognizes their creativity

Innovation: the result of a joint and daily quest by Braskem and its clients

Using precast pieces ensures more speed and safety when building the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant

In a global fi rst, a jack-up platform is launched from another fl oating vessel

Platform Norbe VI arrives in Brazil, introducing major innovations for offshore oil exploration and production

Twenty years ago, the contract was signed to build platform P-18, a milestone for the offshore industry

Technology is becoming a competitive edge for the sugar and ethanol industry

A long-held Brazilian dream is coming true in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro: building submarines

Odebrecht medics discuss the role of technology in improving health and quality of life

For family farmers in northeastern Brazil, the middleman is becoming a thing of the past

Luis Fernando Cassinelli writes about Braskem’s unfl agging drive to introduce new solutions

SAFETY

PERU

PROFILE

COLOMBIA

PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

FOLKS

SAVVY


4 INFORMA


5INFORMA

EDITORIAL

The spirit of service never rests

t happened in Bahia, at the São Roque do Paraguaçu shipyard, in June: for

the first time in the world, a jack-up platform was launched from another

floating structure, in this case, a barge. This innovation has already become a

benchmark for the oil and gas industry. From the Brazilian Northeast to the US

South: in New Orleans, the city where jazz was born, which was devastated by

Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the levee system is the target of an extensive restructur-

ing project with the help of some innovative engineering solutions. There is also the

pioneering use of thermoplastic resins in oil exploration and farming projects, and

the installation of concrete sleeper and form factories at railway construction sites

(one of those factories, located in Salgueiro, Pernambuco, Brazil, is the largest in

the world). And then there is the first-ever implosion of a Brazilian soccer stadium

and the technological revolution that is getting underway in that nation’s ethanol and

sugar industry.

You’ll read all about these stories and more in this issue of Odebrecht Informa.

Besides covering Innovation and Technology, this number of the magazine discuss-

es creativity and how vital it is for anyone working in an entrepreneurial organiza-

tion to have a constantly dissatisfied and restless spirit. Through the expertise and

continued dissatisfaction of its members, Odebrecht since its inception in 1944 has

sought to provide the communities in which it operates with innovative solutions that

break established standards, shatter paradigms and reach new heights of produc-

tivity while moving in a very clear direction: making everything that inventiveness and

the accumulation of knowledge and business experience can provide more advan-

tageous for the community. Through the simplicity and humility of people endowed

with the spirit of service, this capacity for invention and creation becomes the link

between each client’s dream and its fulfillment - with expertise and passion - by this

Organization’s members.

This way of seeing life and work has certainly contributed to making Odebrecht one

of the 10 organizations that won the Young People’s Dream Company award, spon-

sored by the Cia. de Talentos recruitment and selection consultancy. This achieve-

ment means that most of the 50,000 Brazilian college graduates surveyed spontane-

ously stated that they would like to start their professional careers at Odebrecht.

Good reading.

“Through the expertise and the constant dissatisfaction of its members, Odebrecht since its inception in 1944 has sought to provide the communities in which it operates with innovative solutions that break established standards”

I


6 INFORMA

written by LEONARDO MAIA

photos by JÚLIO BITTENCOURT

happSHARING

If many people share a dream, it has a better chance of coming true.

That’s the case in Sauípe, Brazil


7INFORMA

Fábio: aos 32 anos,

liderando a atuação

da Odebrecht em

um projeto de alta

piness

Home in Quintas Private

Residences: fully furnished

and equipped with appliances


8 INFORMA

magine arriving at your beach house and always

fi nding everything spic and span and in perfect

working order. All that without hiring a caretaker,

pool attendant or housekeeper. You just show up

and enjoy the private swimming pool, the gour-

met area and other exclusive amenities, along with up

to eight people, including relatives and guests. Magic?

On the North Coast of the northeastern Brazilian state

of Bahia, more precisely in Sauípe, this became a reality

a year ago, thanks to the innovative shared use system

known as fractional ownership.

This is the system used for Quintas Private Residenc-

es, part of the Quintas de Sauípe Grande Laguna gated

community, which also includes conventional home-

owners. Clients who opt for the fractional ownership

system can buy one of 12 fractions of a house, or even

more if they prefer. Each fraction entitles the buyer to

use the house for four weeks per year, with up to eight

people staying in four en-suite bedrooms. They can also

swap one or more weeks for foreign vacations using

a portfolio of more than 100 residential ventures and

thousands of upscale hotels belonging to The Registry

Collection, the luxury club that is part of the American

RCI group.

Completely furnished and equipped with appliances,

all top-of-the-line, each house is fully outfi tted (with

towels, bed linen, cutlery, crockery) and comes with air

conditioning, cable TV and Wi-Fi. It also has a service

area, including servant’s quarters and storage and laun-

dry facilities. All that plus regular maintenance for 100

years, the duration of the contract with each user. In case

of death, the owner’s heirs can inherit the fraction.

“We’ve introduced a concept in this market that

breaks away from the conventional model and refl ects

consumers’ needs. Recent surveys show that fi ve years

after purchase of a beach or country house, the owner

uses it for just one month per year on average. At Quin-

tas Private, you only pay for what you actually use. We’re

offering a new vacation concept,” explains Franklin Mira,

the Director Responsible for the Sauípe Destination.

Spending too much on hotels

Those consumers are people like Rodrigo and Kaline

Cavalcanti, a young couple with three children, aged 6,

3 and 2. “We bought this at just the right time. We were

spending too much on hotels. Every trip, we needed at

least two hotel rooms. Thanks to this system, we can enjoy

100% of the assets invested,” says Rodrigo, 32, a physician

from Feira de Santana, Bahia. His wife, Kaline, agrees,

adding: “The best thing is getting there and fi nding the

house neat and clean, with all the modern conveniences.

You don’t even have to tidy up when it’s time to leave.” Dur-

ing their stay, clients are entitled to housekeeping servic-

es three times a week and two changes of bed linen. They

can also enjoy pay-per-use services, including daily maid

service, a masseuse, breakfast at home, grocery deliver-

ies and various types of special buffets, such as barbecue.

Convenience and return on investment were compel-

ling reasons for the couple’s decision, but they were not

the only ones. For them, wellbeing is even more impor-

tant. “Buying this fraction has changed my life. My stress

levels have fallen dramatically and I’m much less impa-

tient and restless. Not only that, but it’s wonderful to be

able to plan your vacation and book your holiday up to a

I

INFORMA8

Quintas Private, part of the Quintas Grande Laguna gated

community; on the next page, Rodrigo and Kaline with their kids:

the family was spending too much on hotels


9INFORMA

José Eduardo:

aprendizados

precisam se

converter em

year in advance. I always want to spend time with my fam-

ily,” says Rodrigo.

In addition to the facilities that Quintas Private offers to

fractional ownership clients (a restaurant, movie theater,

gym, sports court, cyber café, kids room, spa and private

access to the beach, among others), they can also enjoy the

amenities at the Costa de Sauípe resort and get a 15% dis-

count on paid services at the complex of hotels and inns.

Attractions abound. “A system like this injects more vitality

into the entire area. Twelve owners make the most of each

home and give a tremendous boost to the destination’s so-

cial and economic dynamics,” observes Franklin Mira.

Smart rotation

The choice of the weeks when each house will be used

is based on the smart rotation system. Introduced over

20 years ago in the US and Europe, it enables users to

enjoy the house for at least one week during a high sea-

son. Users can select their four weeks up front, choose

different weeks throughout the year or deposit them in

The Registry Collection, which offers more than 100 des-

tinations in countries such as Italy, Mexico, the UAE and

Thailand. “The potential for exchange is fantastic. The

family can vacation anywhere. You can deposit your week

and forget about who will occupy the house. Internation-

alization creates an interesting fl exibility,” says Franklin

Mira. Besides the options already mentioned, the owner

of the fraction can resell it at any time or rent out a week

they cannot use.

Quintas Private has the highest rating in the RCI

group’s portfolio. For example, a client can use the

points for one week at Sauípe to spend two weeks at

a Disney resort or up to four weeks at a boutique hotel

in northeastern Brazil. Alejandro Moreno, Director of

RCI Brazil, explains: “Quintas Private’s prime location,

with an ocean view and a lagoon, is truly amazing. The

houses are tastefully decorated and fi t into our concept

perfectly. Moreover, the more popular a destination is

with our clients, the more credits it gets in The Registry

Collection.”

Already a familiar concept in other countries, fractional

ownership is making a successful debut in Brazil. Today,

in addition to Quintas Private, there are two other residen-

tial ventures in operation in that country and three under

construction. Not to mention that hotels are yet another

option for the system’s users. The current challenge is to

publicize the system as widely as possible. “Our biggest

challenge is breaking a paradigm and providing a product

that is undersold in Brazil. When they ‘test drive’ this inno-

vation, people will immediately see the advantages. It’s no

coincidence that 40% of our clients come from personal

recommendations,” says Franklin.

Rodrigo and Kaline are the front runners when it

come to recommendations. They like Quintas Private

so much that they have recommended it to 20 friends,

and 12 have purchased a fraction. “Everyone who could

buy one now owns one. By recommending it to friends,

we’ve also helped create a friendly environment. We al-

ready feel at home. I love to cook, so I bring my season-

ings with me and use the gourmet area in the house. We

always invite friends to join us. That’s one of the advan-

tages of having four en-suite bedrooms at our disposal,”

says Rodrigo.

9INFORMA


10 INFORMA

new orleansMARATHON IN

compare the situation experienced after Ka-

trina to different types of racing competitions.

Shortly after that tragedy, it was like a 100-me-

ter dash. At the local, state and federal levels

we had to provide a rapid emergency response

to help hurricane victims. Once emergency issues

were resolved, we started to rebuild the protection sys-

tem we had before the tornado: a 10-km race. Today,

we are running a marathon, which means completing

the system, which was unfi nished, and making it more

effi cient to avert the risk of disasters like the one in

2005. We haven’t reached the fi nish line yet, but we’re

getting close.”

With this analogy, Jeff Bedey, the retired US Army

Corps of Engineers (Corps) Colonel who spearheaded

the creation of an organization responsible for re-

building the levee system, raising levees and repair-

ing the pumping stations, sums up the stages the

State of Louisiana, and especially the City of New Or-

leans have gone through since that hurricane with a

Iwoman’s name destroyed everything in its wake. “Ka-

trina brought me here. I’d never been to New Orleans

before,” refl ects the retired soldier from the state of

Montana, with slightly halting speech.

Odebrecht has participated in the 10-km race and

is now running the marathon at the head of two of the

53 projects that comprise the system to protect the city

against hurricanes and fl ooding of the Mississippi Riv-

er, the most important waterway in the United States

(which, together with its main tributary, the Missouri,

is also the nation’s largest river – 6,270 km long), and

Lake Pontchartrain, the second-largest salt-water

lake in the country. Odebrecht is working under con-

tract to the Corps, whose client is the Levee District.

Protection system

New Orleans, which is located on the south shore

of the lake, and the surrounding parishes (counties)

that form Greater New Orleans, are completely sur-

rounded by walls and levees. “The protection system

is innovative because it has different structures: re-

taining walls built on metal piles (with “T” and “L”

shapes), frontal reinforcement for the pumping sta-

written by KAROLINA GUTIEZ photos by LIA LUBAMBO

The US city is working hard to prevent disasters like the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina

“


11INFORMA

tions, and various types of gates for vehicles, trains and ships, main-

taining a steady fl ow of traffi c on the roads, railways and waterway.

The aim is to protect the city and its inhabitants while keeping access

routes open, which is vital to the local economy,” explains Gustavo Sil-

veira, the Project Manager for one of Odebrecht’s contracts, known as

LPV-9.2.

The Corps’ initial challenge was designing an integrated system of

structures that would protect the city and could be built on time and

within the budget approved by Congress - USD 14 billion. The study

used information from past events in the region and, through simu-

lations, the Corps established the necessary parameters: the system

will protect Greater New Orleans from 100-year hurricanes and fl oods

(with a 1% statistical probability of occurring every year). Katrina had

the intensity of a 496-year event.

In the case of the pumping stations, the Corps has also developed

and built an innovative type of structure, called a safe house, next to

each station. Safe houses monitor and operate the pumps remotely

in extreme wind and rain. These structures are designed to withstand

winds up to 400 km/hour and provide operators with a shelter 10 m

above ground, ensuring continuous operations during an emergency.

The Corps has also built an integrated Command Center that man-

ages the entire system and houses 58 people, with a supply of natural

gas and electricity that will keep it self-suffi cient for up to two weeks

if a Category 5 hurricane should hit the region – an extreme situation.

Pumping plant works and, opposite page,

Colonel Jeff Bedey: “We haven’t reached the

fi nish line yet. But we’re getting close”


INFORMA12

The entire building is reinforced to withstand strong

winds, and has a kitchen, laundry, six televisions con-

nected to surveillance cameras, news and weather

channels, and a small factory to make sand bags,

which help contain water in emergencies in case of

minor system failures. The Command Center also

monitors the daily fl ow of shipping on the Mississippi.

That is where Giuseppe Miserendino, Director of

the West Jefferson Levee District, keeps track of each

vessel on the river in real time, using a projector in

front of his desk, which visualizes critical points such

as areas near the banks, in tight spots where boats

might hit the levees. When the Odebrecht Informa

team paid him a visit, Giuseppe had been sleeping at

the Command Center for four weeks in a room inside

his offi ce, due to the critical level of the river dur-

ing one of the worst fl oods in 100 years. His family

had come to visit him often during that period. “It’s a

delicate and extremely important matter. They know

that if a hurricane comes, they have to leave town im-

mediately.”

“Born and raised in New Orleans,” Giuseppe says:

“Katrina gave us the possibility of improving the pro-

tection system we already had, which was incom-

plete. After that, we’ve made progress toward having

a safe house in operation at each pumping station,

ensuring that they keep working, which is critical

during a fl ood.” Jeff Bedey argues that no natural di-

saster that impacts the community is a good thing.

However, he recognizes that: “In the midst of tragedy,

the lessons we learn are very important. We have to

move on and try to make decisions and do whatever

is necessary to reduce the chances of something like

that ever happening again.”

Working near operational stations

The LPV-9.2 project that Odebrecht is carrying out

on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain includes building

walls that will serve to strengthen and protect four wa-

ter pumping stations damaged by Katrina. The walls,

which are designed with a fi nal elevation of 5.80 m above

the level of the lake, are a continuation of the levees next

to the stations. When the hurricane hit the city, the un-

protected system could only pump at 45% capacity.

The main challenge of this project is the require-

ment that pumping stations cannot be shut down dur-

ing construction. At any time, if necessary, the area

where the workers are building the walls could be

fl ooded so the pumps can start pushing water from

the canals into the lake.

The stations play a key role in the city, which is

mostly below sea level. Because they link the net-

work of drainage canals in New Orleans, these sta-

tions are often used, sometimes when it isn’t raining.

Every time this happens, Odebrecht’s workers get 15

minutes’ warning. That is all the time they have to re-

move their equipment and leave the area. “Over the

past four months, we’ve been fl ooded 14 times,” says

Gustavo Silveira.

Given these the challenges, and in compliance with

technical and contractual requirements, Odebrecht

has developed a unique system of temporary cof-

ferdams or caissons, which contain valves and mini-

spillways. These structures allow the work area to

dry out, creating an obstacle for the pumping station

that does not exceed the elevation of 0.25 m above the

lake. The valves are automated so that operators at

the plant can control them remotely when they need

to fl ood the system.


13INFORMA

“This idea is widely used in dam construction, but

it had never been used quite this way. When a dam is

being built, cofferdams dry out the area of operations.

Unlike our situation here, it is almost never necessary

to fl ood that area during construction,” says Gustavo.

“This solution has brought signifi cant savings to the

project,” says Rudy Armenta, Odebrecht’s Project Di-

rector in Louisiana.

Valued at USD 175 million, the LPV-9.2 project is

being built near a residential district. To protect the

neighborhood from noise pollution, the Odebrecht

team has implemented three solutions that jointly

dampen the noise of the construction work. The

fi rst is the installation of two curtains that are au-

tomatically raised and lowered. The second, which

cost nothing at all, was changing the route for the

concrete trucks. The third was using a Giken Pile

Press. Unlike conventional pile drivers, the machine

noiselessly presses the piles into the ground. It also

improves quality, because it corrects their alignment

and plumb.

The other project, LPV-3.2, is a USD 85-million con-

tract that involves the construction of a retaining wall,

also built on metal piles in a fl ooded area. The 4,800-m

long structure will replace the one built in the 1980s.

The new protection system is built on one bank of a

canal that is directly linked to Lake Pontchartrain, and

therefore affected by its water levels. “If the water is

high, it’s hard to get the work done. When it’s low, it

interferes with the delivery of materials, which is all

done through the canal. So in our case we are con-

stantly battling with the water levels, just like the city

itself,” says Rami Nassar, the Project Manager for the

contract.

Because the barges that deliver materials are too

big to enter the canal where the wall is being built, it

was necessary to excavate the slopes on the banks.

The excavation limit is 2.75 m, but a much larger

area would have had to be excavated to make room.

In the end, Odebrecht’s teams only excavated 1.5 m,

so the amount of earthmoving was smaller, and all

deliveries of materials are being done with small

boats that transfer them from a barge anchored at

the canal entrance. This solution has reduced the

dredging operation by 45% (about 240,000 m³), and

only removed what was needed for smaller boats to

reach the jobsite. “The savings we got through this

logistics solution helped us win the contract,” says

Rudy Armenta.

Another innovation was replacing the solder used

in the 3,500 connectors attached to the I-piles, which

help anchor the base of the wall. Instead of being

welded, the connectors were screwed in place. That

move not only reduced the cost of the job but the time

required to do it without affecting quality or changing

the original design.

“We are working on behalf of the entire city, which

has been keeping a close eye on the project as a

whole because it is a very sensitive matter, especially

at a time when the Mississippi River is so high,” says

Rudy Armenta, who is now a member of the commu-

nity affected by this issue. “I’m fully committed to this

project. I’ve bought a house and moved here with my

family from Miami. I’m not only aware of the public’s

concerns about storms and fl oods but share and face

the same situation. And that motivates me in my work

and our quest for innovation, with a focus on produc-

tivity and quality.”

The temporary caisson

built in the fl ooded area,

and Giuseppe Miserendino:

sleeping in a room inside

his offi ce for four weeks


14 INFORMA

written by LUIZ CARLOS RAMOS

photos by MÁRCIO LIMA

arenaFOR INNOVATION


15INFORMA

Gilson: “Já estou me

preparando para

outros desafi os”

The teams building the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador, Bahia, a future venue of the 2014 World Cup, are introducing pioneering engineering solutions

occer is one of Brazil’s greatest passions, and

in the near future, attending matches will

become a happier, safer and more comfort-

able experience for fans in the State of Bahia.

Completion of the Fonte Nova Arena in the next

eighteen months will ensure that the City of Salvador can host

the Confederations Cup games in 2013, a group from the 2014

World Cup, and more. Vital to the future of the sport in Bahia,

the arena will be more than a stadium: seating up to 50,000

people, it can also be the venue for great performances by sing-

ers and bands from Brazil and around the globe.

The future Fonte Nova Arena will not result from the re-

modeling of the former Octávio Mangabeira Stadium (popularly

known as “Fonte Nova”) , which opened 60 years ago and was

shut down in 2007. Instead it will be a brand-new modern facil-

ity built with innovative technologies. Now, a year after the old

structure and its blue concrete bleachers were demolished by

an implosion that was a fi rst in the history of Brazilian stadiums,

workers and machines are steadily transforming the area next

to Dique do Tororó lake with every passing day.

Consórcio Arena Salvador 2014, a joint venture of Odebrecht

and OAS, is building the facility. The companies will also run

Fonte Nova Arena after it offi cially opens, which is scheduled for

early 2013. Dênio Cidreira, president of Fonte Nova Negócios e

Participações, the company created to devise the best use of

the arena, explains: “The big news is that we will not just build

a stadium, but a multipurpose arena that will be important for

soccer and for the arts and culture in Bahia, because it will also

host major shows, conferences and events of all sizes. It will

certainly be a new destination for business and entertainment

that will be available to the public all year round.”

Alexandre Chiavegatto, from Odebrecht Infraestrutura, the

Project Director for the joint-venture contractor, says that the

implosion of the old Fonte Nova stadium on August 29 was an

excellent start. “That operation has made an important contri-

bution to the technology of the construction sector in this coun-

try. This was the fi rst time it had been done with a stadium – and

a stadium the size of Fonte Nova, in a densely populated area

in a big city,” says Chiavegatto. Until then, implosions in Brazil

had only been done with residential buildings and similar urban

structures, such as commercial and offi ce buildings.

The challenge of fi ghting against the weather will be hon-

ored, says Benedicto Barbosa da Silva Júnior, Entrepreneurial

Leader (CEO) of Odebrecht Infraestrutura – the company that,

along with Odebrecht Participações e Investimentos (OPI), is

responsible for the Organization’s participation in this venture:

“The project is right on schedule. The Fonte Nova Arena will be

S

15INFORMA

Building the Fonte Nova

Arena and the implosion of

the old stadium, step by step:

contribution to Brazilian

engineering


an important legacy for the State of Bahia, because it will

be a watershed for the creation of new businesses and ur-

ban renewal. It will boost property values in the city center.”

Felipe Jens, the Investment Leader (CEO) of OPI, un-

derscores that the State of Bahia has partnered up with the

private sector to carry out this project: “Investments in the

Fonte Nova Arena are being made on the basis of a public-

private partnership (PPP) contract and concessions.” Ode-

brecht is not only involved in the construction of arenas but

also in their future operations.

Odebrecht, which is also working on three other stadi-

ums for the World Cup – building the Pernambuco Arena,

in the Recife metropolitan area, and the Corinthians sta-

dium in São Paulo, and remodeling Maracanã in Rio – has

plenty of experience in that area. It has remodeled Mara-

canã Stadium once before, and completed Engenhão, both

for the 2007 Pan American Games. In the United States, it

has built the American Airlines Arena and a football sta-

dium for Florida International University.

Odebrecht Informa visited the jobsite in Salvador in June.

Spectacular implosion

“For safety’s sake, local residents were removed from

the area beforehand. During the implosion, the material

fell within the area around the stadium, without harming

the public or their heritage,” recalls Alexandre Chiavegatto.

The resulting 77,000 tonnes of concrete have been recycled

to produce crushed stone for the future arena and other

infrastructure works, with the advantage of avoiding the

inconvenience of numerous truck trips. It also protects the

environment by eliminating the amount of carbon dioxide

those vehicles would have emitted.

The implosion took place on a Sunday, broadcast live

around the country. It was the fi rst concrete step towards

building stadiums for the 2014 World Cup. Bahian en-

gineer Diana Paes, 26, who joined Odebrecht four years

ago, helped coordinate the operation, and describes the

general feeling: “We were all moved when the bleachers

fell.” Diana took part in the advance work done to raise lo-

cal residents’ safety awareness. She gave talks explaining

details of the project, which were also set forth in a booklet

that featured a photomontage of a scale model of the arena

on the cover and the surrounding area of the city with the

following appeal: “We need your help to build this dream.”

A communications system including TV and radio spots

and newspaper advertorials helped answer the local com-

munity’s questions.

The demolition of the lower ring of bleachers at Fonte

Nova, Antonio Balbino gym and the swimming pools had

already been done with bulldozers and jackhammers in

the fi rst half of 2010. But the main part of the structure

was still standing. Imploding it was the safest and most

economical option, according to Chiavegatto. A company

specializing in implosions, Arcoenge, was hired to take

care of the technical details, placing explosives inside the

stadium structure and detonating them once the area had

been cleared.

”It went off without a hitch,” says Alexandre Chiavegatto.

The operation involved innovative solutions: the protection

of the pillars, the test blast and the crushing of the demol-

ished concrete.

Youth participation

”It all ended well, and lots of people wept with emo-

tion,” recalls Diana Paes, who joined Odebrecht in 2007

as an intern. Now a full-fl edged member, she is a role

model for the 786 workers who are building the project

– 535 in production and 251 in administration. “I was the

girl at the implosion,” Diana admits, smiling. “Now I’m

the girl at the jobsite.”

For the 22 interns working at Fonte Nova, Diana is also

an example of dedication and success, explains Thiago

Gomes Cunha, who has a business degree and seven

years’ experience at Odebrecht. He has worked at Fonte

Nova since March as the Developing Interns Program co-

ordinator: “Young people should always aim for growth.

Each intern has their individual leader and undergoes as-

sessments. Dialogue is fundamental.”

One of those interns, Vinicius do Lago Maio, 26, a

fourth-year business student at Jorge Amado University, is

thrilled to be there: “I’ve always dreamed of working here.

Now I can exchange ideas with experienced professionals

on a daily basis.”

Technological challenge

The transformation of Fonte Nova has also involved

other steps, such as using scaffolding on fl atbed trucks

to shore up the structure next to the facility that cur-

rently serves as the administrative building for the site

and will be maintained for future use. The coordinator,

Mário Sérgio Cardoso Marques, says that this step was

completed in four months, from October of last year to

January of this year, thanks to a dose of creativity: “The

truck moved forward as we worked so we didn’t need

INFORMA16


17INFORMA

Daniel: “Esta é

uma empresa que

continua me dando

oportunidades”

to set up more scaffolding. As a result, we saved time

and money.”

In the area where the new stadium is being built, earth-

moving has been completed and the piles are in place. The

soccer fi eld is starting to take shape. Soon the stands will

be going up, in the style of modern arenas built in recent

years in Europe, the US and Japan. Then the roof will be

installed to protect the spectators.

According to the design, the arena will be horseshoe

shaped, affording a splendid view of Dique do Tororó, one

of the most scenic spots in the city. The project is keep-

ing strictly to schedule to ensure that Salvador is on the

list of cities hosting Confederations Cup matches in 2013,

and Consórcio Salvador Arena has developed a plan of at-

tack including two work fronts, starting at both ends of the

horseshoe.

Alexandre Chiavegatto explains: “We will use six fi xed

cranes outside and two mobile cranes inside the arena to

cover the entire length of the area to be built. This solution

will save time while averting the risk of injury or fi nancial

loss.” The grass will have perfect drainage so games will

never be rained out. Ramps and public access corridors

are spacious and safe.

Rivalry and unity

The future Arena will also include a parking garage,

shops, restaurants and a cultural space that tells the story

of soccer and classic Bahia vs. Vitória (Ba-Vi) games, as

well as music and other local cultural expressions. The

fi rst national champion, the Bahia soccer club won the

Brazil Cup in 1959 and the Brazilian title in 1988. The of-

fi cial attendance record was set at Fonte Nova when Bahia

beat Fluminense of Rio 2-1 during the Brazilian semi-fi nal

of 1988, before 110,438 paying fans. Vitória, the state’s oth-

er main club, was Brazil’s vice-champion in 1993 and also

won second place in the 2010 Brazil Cup.

During construction of Fonte Nova, the relaxed atmo-

sphere among the workers does not keep the rivalry be-

tween the Bahia and Vitória fan clubs from bubbling to the

surface. One of the most ardent Bahia fans at the jobsite

is safety technician Paulo Henrique Souza dos Santos, 22,

who unbuttons his uniform to reveal his club’s red, white

and blue jersey: “We are in the Brazilian A Series (fi rst divi-

sion) again,” he says, beaming with pride. Standing beside

him is carpenter Fidelfi no Machado dos Santos, 42, and the

shirt he displays is the red and black of Vitória. “Our team is

in the B Series (second division), but soon it will rise again

and play at Fonte Nova,” he predicts.

Not all the materials resulting from the implosion have

been recycled. Chunks of concrete from the old Fonte Nova

stadium are still on the site. The workers have collected

bits of the bleachers, still painted blue, and saved them as

relics. Two thousand other pieces have been encased in

clear acrylic boxes and donated to the Sister Dulce Social

Works (OSID) charity. OSID is selling them at BRL 35.00

apiece, and the BRL 70,000 they hope to raise will be used

to support the religious mission begun by the recently be-

atifi ed nun, bringing hope to the needy in Salvador.

17INFORMA

Paulo Henrique and

Fidelfi no: soccer

rivalry at the jobsite


18 INFORMA

Roger e sua equipe:

“Existe aqui a possi-

bilidade de termos

muitos líderes, que

nos ajudam no auto-

desenvolvimento”

written by THEREZA MARTINS

photos by ÉLVIO LUIZ AND MATHIAS CRAEMER

Plants set up at the jobsites are speeding up construction of the Transnordestina Railway and the Porto Alegre Metro in Brazil


19INFORMA

n the Northeast and South of Brazil, Odebrecht

Infrastructure teams are combining creativity, in-

novation and technology to build two projects in

the transportation sector with major economic

and social impacts: the Transnordestina (Trans-

Northeastern) Railway in Pernambuco and the exten-

sion of Line 1 of the Trensurb (Empresa de Trens Ur-

banos de Porto Alegre) Metro in Rio Grande do Sul.

Industrial jobsites set up specifi cally for that purpose

are working virtually non-stop to support these two

projects. Using cutting-edge technology, innovative so-

lutions and expert teams, the pace of work is moving

forward in line with the clients’ expectations and needs.

From the backlands to the coast

A venture of Transnordestina Logística (TLSA), a

subsidiary of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN),

construction of the Transnordestina Railway is already

changing the landscape of the region where its freight

trains will be running. The 1,728-km railway line will

connect the city of Eliseu Martins, Piauí, to the port of

Suape in Pernambuco, with a trunk line linking Sal-

gueiro, Pernambuco, to the Port of Pecém in Ceará.

Working as an alliance, TLSA and Odebrecht Infraestru-

tura are building a 1,218-km section of the project. Con-

struction began in 2010, with completion scheduled for

the end of 2012.

The Transnordestina-Odebrecht alliance is re-

sponsible for the Eliseu Martins-Suape section, which

crosses through the arid hinterland of the Brazilian

Northeast, traversing rural Pernambuco and the forest

area on its way to the coast. Almost halfway along the

line lies Salgueiro, a town whose economy is based on

commerce, services and small family farms. Located

on the BR-116 highway linking Brazil from Ceará to Rio

Grande do Sul, that is where Odebrecht Infraestrutura

has built the main jobsite for the project.

“Salgueiro is the central hub for all the

resources used to build the railroad,”

says Júlia Fadul, the engineer re-

sponsible for the industrial job-

Isite. She explains that its geographic location – the same

distance from Eliseu Martins, Suape and Pecém – is stra-

tegic for keeping up the pace of the workfronts, which are

moving ahead almost simultaneously. “Not only that, but

the soil in Salgueiro has the ideal hardness and strength

for the production of crushed stone used as track ballast.

And we use the byproducts of crushed rock to make con-

crete sleepers, at no additional cost.”

The world’s largest sleeper plant

To meet the contract deadlines, two engineers,

Rodrigo Borges, responsible for the Transnordestina

sleeper plant, and Isaac Lacerda Tannus, manager of

the railway superstructure, traveled to Italy in 2009 to

visit manufacturers there. They found the technology

and equipment required to produce up to 4,800 concrete

sleepers per day, which will be used as rail supports.

“Right now, this is the largest railway sleeper fac-

tory in the world in terms of production capacity,” says

Rodrigo. “Because it’s covered, it can work around the

clock, non-stop, including nights and on rainy days,

until it produces the 3-million-plus railroad ties this

project requires.”

Rodrigo emphasizes that the productivity they are

getting is down to a combination of several innovations.

They include the design of the factory, with three identi-

cal interconnected units that work simultaneously while

preventing a total shutdown if one stops operating for

any reason; the possibility of producing broad-gauge

and dual-gauge sleepers with the same forms, with mi-

nor adjustments; the process of steam-curing concrete,

reducing its maturation time to a few hours; and vacu-

um equipment that can remove the forms and position

up to eight 370-kg concrete sleepers for storage.

These methods and resources are all available on

the market, but combining them on a single project has

given the work a major effi ciency boost. “Planning and

technology are what sets us apart,” said Isaac Tan-

nus. Referring to the industrial jobsite, he men-

tions that logistics and planning ensured the

optimum scale and location of the facilities

and plants, which are side-by-side to help

drive the project’s supply chain.

Installing a precast piece for the

Trensurb Project: with help from

the “mammoth” and its “tusks”


INFORMA20 INFORMA20

From the top of the quarry where the material

is extracted to produce 4,500 cu.m of crushed rock

daily for track ballast, you can see the sleeper plant,

the rock crushing plant, the storage facility for rail-

way tracks and other materials, the welding bay,

warehouse, maintenance workshops and the access

tracks from where the gantry cranes set off to dis-

tribute rails and sleepers along the bed of the Trans-

nordestina. “Producing the materials we need on the

spot saves time and money, with guaranteed quality,”

says Isaac.

In June, when the Odebrecht Informa team visited

Salgueiro, the industrial jobsite was operating at full

steam, building up a stockpile of sleepers, welded rails

and other materials. Nine smaller jobsites were also

hard at work in Pernambuco, Piauí and Ceará, provid-

ing support for earthmoving services.

Sharing knowledge

Transnordestina is not just transforming the

landscape of the region through which it runs. It is

also broadening the horizons of students at tech-

nical and engineering schools, bringing them new

knowledge, experience and learnings. The Federal

Technical School at Salgueiro is grooming profes-

sionals for the railroad. And at the jobsite next to the

sleeper plant, a visitor service center is being built

with a capacity for 30 people, equipped for video

presentations and lectures.

“This project is generating a tremendous amount

of interest due to its technical and innovative aspects,

as well as the economic impact that it represents,”

says Isaac Tannus. He adds: “There are plenty of

good reasons for that. Investments in rail transport

in Brazil stood still for nearly three decades. Trans-

nordestina will bring new business opportunities and

sources of income to the Northeast. This will be the

main outlet for the wealth produced in this region.”

From Porto Alegre to Novo Hamburgo

We now go from the Northeast to the South of

Brazil. Plans for the expansion of Line 1 of Tren-

surb date back some time. Subway service already

includes the cities of Porto Alegre, Canoas, Esteio,

Sapucaia do Sul and São Leopoldo. In 2002, a ten-

der was held for construction of the 9.31 km stretch

required to reach Novo Hamburgo, but by 2007 the

contract was still under review and the approval

never came.

City residents sent a petition to the State Govern-

ment with 60,000 signatures in favor of expanding the

Metro line, and in 2008, the state gave the project the

green light, with a four-year deadline for completion.

But money was tight, and Nova Via, the joint-venture

contractor led by Odebrecht Infraestrutura, limited its

activities to planning and developing the detailed engi-

neering design.

“The civil engineering works began in 2009, when

the project was included in the Federal Government’s

Growth Acceleration Program (PAC),” says Project Di-

rector Nilton Coelho. “Our fi rst major challenge was

keeping to schedule, while building a four-year project

in three,” he observes.

The pace of construction is speeding up on the 9.31-

km elevated tracks where the subway trains will run,

along with four stations and two bridges with 90-m

spans across the Sinos River, one for the subway and

another for vehicles. “We are working ahead of schedule,

and will deliver the fi rst 4.5 km stretch by July, includ-

ing Rio dos Sinos Station in São Leopoldo, and Liberdade

Station in Novo Hamburgo,” says Nilton.

Isaac Tannus at the

Transnordestina

works: “Planning

and technology

are what set us

apart”


21INFORMA 21INFORMA

Plants at the jobsite

The construction teams are meeting the challeng-

ing deadline by using precast beams and slabs for

the superstructure and metal formwork for pillars

and beams cast at the jobsite. “We built two precast-

ing plants near Liberdade Station, working 24 hours

a day. During that period we have produced three

beams weighing 58 tonnes each and 20 slabs,” says

Rodrigo Lacerda, the project’s Engineering and Plan-

ning Manager.

Rodrigo explains that the main benefi ts of using

metal forms instead of wood include complying with the

design specs, optimizing use of resources and boosting

productivity. The teams are using a steam curing sys-

tem for concrete beams, which also makes the work go

faster. The choice of equipment was also based on the

pursuit of productivity combined with quality.

Speedy mammoth

Like the animal that went extinct thousands of years

ago, the “mammoth” developed by the Odebrecht In-

fraestrutura team for the Metro in Rio Grande do Sul

uses its “tusks” to lift the plates that form the elevated

track sidewalls. The “mammoth” is a gantry crane set

on rollers to move it along the tracks. It is replacing

the use of conventional cranes in this operation, and

doing it handily.

“The elevated tracks follow the route of the main

streets and heavily traveled roads, which would have

had to be blocked off if we used regular cranes, re-

sulting in delays in the work and inconvenience for the

public,” says Rodrigo. Comparing the use of the “mam-

moth” and conventional cranes, the fi rst represents a

time savings of around 33%, and in terms of costs, a

signifi cant savings of 65%.

Among the materials and construction methods

used on this project, the highlights are the preference

for glass blocks instead of masonry walls for the sta-

tions, and using rubber from chopped-up tires to make

the sidewall sections. Placed on the surface of the

concrete plates, the rubber deadens noise caused by

the friction of train wheels on metal tracks, and glass

blocks allow natural light into the stations, saving en-

ergy, ensuring comfortable temperatures and giving a

lighter look to the visual design.

The experience Odebrecht Infraestrutura’s teams

have gained on the Trensurb project is described in

three papers submitted for the 2009 and 2010 editions

of the Odebrecht Highlight Awards in the Innovation,

Knowledge Reuse and Young Partner categories.

Trensurb expects that this expansion project will

add 30,000 new users per day as soon as the new sec-

tion of Line 1 of the Metro offi cially opens. “The high-

way linking Porto Alegre to Novo Hamburgo is fully

saturated. The expectation is that the subway will si-

phon off some of that traffi c,” says Trensurb Project

Manager Lino Sérgio Fantuzzi, the General Supervisor

for the expansion works. He adds: “One of the new sta-

tions, Fenac, in Novo Hamburgo, will be linked to an

intermodal transport platform connected to local and

intercity bus lines.”

Trensurb CEO Humberto Kasper, who took offi ce on

June 1, emphasizes that the benefi ts of this project go

beyond mobility. “It’s part of the urban renewal project

being carried out along the route of the elevated tracks.

The urban space will be improved with parks, bike

paths, schools and police stations,” he says. He also

points out another social benefi t: nearly 800 families

who lived near the elevated tracks have moved into brick

and mortar houses in an area with the infrastructure of

roads, water, power and sewer systems.


22 INFORMA

INTERVIEW

Luiz Roberto:

“It’s important to

distinguish between

innovation and invention”

kn


23INFORMA

When a major engineering chal-

lenge arises on Odebrecht con-

tracts anywhere in the world,

Luiz Roberto Batista Chagas

knows it’s time to pack and trav-

el. A 43-year veteran of the Organization and a gradu-

ate of the Federal University at Bahia (UFBA) Poly-

technic, the civil engineer provides support for highly

complex projects in Brazil and around the globe. The

solid experience he has built up over the years resulted

in the publication of his fi rst book in 2008: Construction

Engineering – Major Works. Two years later, Luiz Ro-

berto received the Engineers’ Union of São Paulo Tech-

nology Personality Award in the Internationalization of

Brazilian Engineering category. In this interview, he

explains how innovative ideas can make the difference

when it comes to the success of a project and winning

a new business.

OI – How do you prepare yourself to provide

support for highly complex projects?

LUIZ ROBERTO – For me, engineering is a passion. I’ve al-

ways liked to study, and I think it’s important for any

professional to stay up to date. Even outside of work,

I read about various topics related to that area in my

spare time. Over the years, this habit has been very

important because it has given me the fundamentals

for working in various different fi elds of engineering.

Today, I’m dealing with a wide range of challenges.

Before contributing to the engineering solutions of a

given project, I try to get as much information as I can

about the project in general and the specifi c challenge

at hand. Then, I do some research and assess the need

to get other professionals involved, whether from in-

side or outside the Organization. Solutions and decision

making always result from discussions with the proj-

ect’s teams. It’s never an individual endeavor.

CAN-DO

knowledgewritten by RENATA MEYER PHOTOS BY ARTUR IKISHIMA


24 INFORMA

OI – What sort of challenges are you used to

dealing with?

LUIZ ROBERTO – Each project has its own peculiarities, and

challenges can involve several fi elds of engineering at

once. Usually they have to do with excavations, founda-

tions, structures and fi nishing for construction works,

taking into account the natural, logistical and economic

aspects and cultural contexts of the places where they

will be carried out. One example is the construction of

Braskem’s ethylene plant in Mexico (the Ethylene XXI

project, in the state of Veracruz). The land where the proj-

ect will be built is composed of an expansive type of soil

called lutita (shale or lutite), which will require fi nding a

way to restrict its de-

formations to accept-

able levels in order to

avoid future problems

in the project’s founda-

tions. There are several

technologies available

for this. The challenge

is to fi nd the best tech-

nical solution for this

situation that is also the

most economical.

OI – In your view,

what does it mean

to innovate?

LUIZ ROBERTO – Inno-

vating means renew-

ing to get things done

with fewer resources

and thereby obtain effi ciency gains, whether it’s in

production processes, administration and fi nance,

or services. Innovation drives growth and com-

petitiveness in any organization. It is the result of

the constant pursuit of excellence. It is the com-

mitment that people undertake to always being

on the lookout for opportunities to improve their

work processes. However, it is also important to

distinguish innovation from invention. I consider

innovation to be everything a company does for the

fi rst time in order to achieve greater effi ciency and

effectiveness in its projects. It could be a tool, sys-

tem or process that already exists in the market.

Inventing something entirely new is another thing

altogether. To be worthy of the name, an invention

must go through several degrees of maturation in

a slow process that involves extensive research,

testing, certifi cation and patents.

OI – How does Odebrecht address the theme

of innovation?

LUIZ ROBERTO – Innovation is part of our core entrepreneur-

ial culture. The philosophical concepts of the Odebrecht

Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO) present a very strong

challenge: engaging in the constant pursuit of excellence

and winning over clients, which can only be achieved

through innovation and continued dissatisfaction with pre-

viously achieved results.

For this reason, the

company always en-

courages its members

to seek improvements

in their work processes,

not only in engineering

but also in administra-

tion, fi nance and gen-

eral support. One im-

portant initiative in this

regard was the creation

of the Highlight Awards,

which provide a strong

incentive to foster in-

novative ideas in all the

various environments of

the Organization.

OI – What role does

innovation play in engineering?

LUIZ ROBERTO – Innovation is the basis for the ad-

vancement of engineering. When carrying out a

project, planning is the exercise that leads to the

pursuit of innovation. So it must be dynamic in or-

der to allow for course corrections. Sometimes,

teams looking for solutions to tough situations

must surpass themselves in the search for viable

alternatives to overcome those challenges. That’s

why it’s important for people to be constantly alert

to possibilities for innovation. Ideally, teams should

be able to anticipate problems, seeking practical

solutions that are appropriate for each situation

from the very start.

“Ideally, teams should be able

to anticipate problems, seeking practical solutions that are

appropriate for each situation from the

very start”

INFORMA24


25INFORMA

OI – How does innovation impact the Organi-

zation’s competitiveness?

LUIZ ROBERTO – By implementing innovative ideas,

you can increase the efficiency and effective-

ness of processes, reduce operating costs, solve

technical challenges and thereby gain competi-

tiveness. But it is important to remember that

innovation is only meaningful when it brings

practical results. As much as you may want to

innovate, you mustn’t view each project like a

laboratory. Our top priority must always be to

honor our commitments to our clients and en-

sure the safety and quality of our services.

OI – How do different

areas of the Organi-

zation share their in-

novative ideas?

LUIZ ROBERTO – Despite

the decentralized na-

ture of the Organization,

the transfer of knowl-

edge between different

environments is strongly

encouraged. To that end,

the company has cre-

ated Knowledge Com-

munities, which bring

together members with

common interests who

want to share their

know-how and inno-

vations. Today these

communities include segments such as Highways,

Dams and Power Plants, Subways, Real Estate

Ventures, Ports and Equipment, among others.

The leaders of these groups are professionals

with extensive experience in their fields. Often,

community participants are invited to share their

experiences with teams working on several of the

Organization’s projects. This can be done before

the start of each project, through meetings of the

Action Program’s (PA) engineering modules, or

even during construction. The project director for

the contract in question always takes the initiative

and lead, and makes decisions regarding these

meetings.

OI – How do leaders help groom innovators?

LUIZ ROBERTO – A leader must always encour-

age their team members to seek what is best.

Sometimes the solution to a particular chal-

lenge is right there, and people don’t realize

because they are too involved in their daily

routines. But when the challenge is set, in-

novations tend to arise naturally. However, for

this to happen, leaders must be imbued with

the company’s philosophy, devoting their time,

presence, experience and example, and giving

all the support the individual needs to grow and

develop.

OI – What is the main

challenge for innova-

tion today?

LUIZ ROBERTO – The main

challenge lies in profes-

sional education; in its

ability to keep up with

the rapid advance of

technology. Today’s uni-

versities must teach stu-

dents to engage in self-

development. Engineers

must be entrepreneurs,

first and foremost, so

they can respond posi-

tively to the challenges

of the market. The col-

lege curriculum is the

main reference tool for

that sort of learning. In my view, an engineer’s education

must be based on three pillars: basic knowledge,

encompassing core disciplines such as Math-

ematics, Physics and Chemistry; professional

knowledge, which focuses on more specific as-

pects of the engineer’s academic training, such

as building bridges, roads, ports and structures;

and business knowledge, which involves the sub-

jects of Leadership, Business Management and

Contract Administration, among others. When an

interactive team that is motivated to overcome

previous results is equipped with this range of

knowledge, these are key ingredients for innova-

tion in engineering.

“Innovation is only

meaningful when it

brings practical results.

As much as you may

want to innovate, you

mustn’t view each

project like a laboratory”


26 INFORMA

written by EDILSON LIMA

photos by RICARDO TELES

Participantes do

Acreditar Angola:

protagonistas de

uma nova era

no país

VALUABA case where

a country provides real incentives for

entrepreneurial creativity

Santo Antônio

Hydroelectric

Plant: an

exemplary case


27INFORMA

f the hot topic at the construction site is technologi-

cal innovation, it’ll just be a matter of time before it

gets a visit from the Odebrecht Innovation Research

Program (POIT) team. Created in 2008, this program

aims to identify solutions devised at the jobsites and

encourage creativity among the project’s teams. The Ode-

brecht Organization is already getting visible results, both

in garnering tax incentives (Law no. 11.196/2005 introduced

tax breaks for companies that develop technological inno-

vations) and managing new knowledge.

Step by step, the process goes like this: once an inno-

vative project has been identifi ed at a jobsite, a team from

Pieracciani, a consulting fi rm for the POIT, goes out to the

site, performs an inventory, organizes the necessary docu-

mentation and assists the teams based on the criteria es-

tablished by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT)

and current fi scal and tax laws. Every year, the POIT sends

a report to the MCT covering all the innovative projects

produced during that period, including Research, Devel-

opment & Innovation (R, D & I) activities and the benefi ts

obtained. “Part of our job is to produce evidence that the

project in question is truly innovative,” says Alfonso Abrami,

the consulting fi rm’s Technical Director.

The POIT is run by a committee representing Odebrecht

Engineering & Construction companies, Construtora Nor-

berto Odebrecht’s Tax Planning area and Pieracciani. Peri-

odically, its members meet to review and approve the proj-

ects that have what it takes to be included in the program.

Essal was one of the fi rst projects included in the POIT. It

involves equipment used for geological studies of the marine

subsoil developed during the project to extend moles in the

Port of Rio Grande, in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do

Sul. The construction of this equipment to survey the subsoil

saved money on imports, since it didn’t exist in Brazil.

Dante Venturini, the offi cer Responsible for Func-

tional Support for Engineering at Odebrecht Infraestru-

tura, underscores the importance of systemizing knowl-

edge: “The POIT makes us appreciate the creativity and

knowledge produced at the jobsites, which many people

discard once the work is done. That’s not the way to do

it. All knowledge we obtain must be organized so it can

be shared and used in the future, while always seeking

gains in productivity,” he emphasizes.

Another success story is the work being done during

construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric power

plant in the state of Rondônia. The team there has de-

veloped motorized equipment to remove core samples

from depths of up to 5 meters. The samples are taken

from the sites where the foundations for transmission

line towers will be built. The equipment speeds up the

collection of samples, providing technical information

that is used to design the foundations.

“The biggest benefi t of the POIT is saving time, be-

cause innovations are recorded. The next time around,

we can avoid repeating previous mistakes or imple-

menting new procedures. There’s no need to reinvent

the wheel,” says José Roberto Brandão, the offi cer

Responsible for providing Engineering Support for

Augusto Roque, CEO for Generation in Brazil at Ode-

brecht Energia.

Water reuse

Aquapolo Ambiental, a subsidiary of Foz do Brasil,

will apply a new water reuse process technology for

the fi rst time in Brazil. Jointly developed by Constru-

tora Norberto Odebrecht and Foz do Brasil, it involves

using ultrafi ltration membranes and reverse osmosis

methods that will allow compliance with the water

quality requirements of the Capuava Petrochemical

Complex in São Paulo State, where the treated water

will be used.

The POIT is one of several initiatives in the fi eld of

knowledge production, management and sharing at

Odebrecht, such as the Highlight Awards. The program

fosters innovative practices through partnerships with

universities and research institutes, as well as the Or-

ganization’s clients and suppliers, encouraging innova-

tion throughout the supply chain.

Since the POIT was created, leaders have been en-

couraged to seek new achievements in technological

innovation all the time. “Bit by bit, the culture of inno-

vation and knowledge sharing is spreading throughout

the Organization’s businesses. Our members are start-

ing to realize how important this is to the quality of our

services, as well as adding value to the Organization’s

brand,” explains Alfonso Abrami.

I

27INFORMA

ideiasABLE


28 INFORMA

rivalWITHOUT

Braskem

polypropylene:

focusing on each

client’s individual

needs


29INFORMA

written by LUCIANA MÓGLIA

photos by RICARDO CHAVES

Providing outstanding products and services are Braskem’s priority in its pursuit of increased competitiveness

ecause we are working in a highly

competitive global marketplace where

innovation is a key factor for success,

we must be very focused on provid-

ing outstanding products, developing

new applications for our clients and the continued pur-

suit of cost competitiveness so that we are our client’s

choice due to excellence in products and services,” ob-

serves Patrick Teyssonneyre, Director of Innovation and

Technology at the Braskem Polymers Business Unit

(UNPOL). In 2010, UNPOL’S Innovation and Technology

teams launched 41 projects, representing USD 180 mil-

lion in potential returns in fi ve years. Expectations are

that in 2011 they will launch about 80 projects with a po-

tential return of USD 290 million.

At Braskem, innovation serves the client’s best in-

terests. In practice, this means that the company’s in-

novation and technology laboratories and pilot plants

are always working on the creation of new resins that

meet the needs of plastic processing companies, getting

ahead of trends, improving the performance of existing

products and seeking sustainable solutions.

“At Braskem, researchers go into the fi eld together

with members of the commercial area to anticipate

trends, identify new potential applications and study

the markets to determine whether ideas are feasible or

not,” explains Teyssonneyere.

Looking to develop new markets, Braskem is now

supplying polypropylene resins that Bredero Shaw uses

to insulate and rust-proof steel pipelines that transport

oil from offshore, as well as the polypropylene that Nova

Plast uses to make coffee sacks for export.

Offshore pipelines

In the middle of the last decade, Braskem spot-

ted an opportunity to work in the market for pipelines

used in deep-water oil and natural gas exploration

– and it is already getting results. Petrobras alone is

expected to build at least another 15 offshore rigs by

2017, including 8 to 10 platforms for exploration of the

pre-salt layer, which signals a promising market. “We

found that polypropylene is widely used for that appli-

cation, but all the resin was imported,” says Braskem

PP (Polypropylene) Product Development Manager

Alessandro Cauduro Lima.

To become a supplier to the oil industry, Braskem

sought out Bredero Shaw, which saw advantages in the

B

29INFORMA

“


30 INFORMA

company’s proposal, such as a continuous supply of

product and local technical service, which suppliers

from outside Brazil could not provide. The challenge

was to produce a plastic resin that met higher thermal

requirements, since the main function of coating poly-

propylene piping and offshore steel pipelines used to

transport oil is to act as a thermal insulator, preserving

the input’s original properties.

The development of resins for this application, be-

gun in May 2008, was completed by the end of 2010.

“During that period, the product was subjected to the

rigorous approval process established by Petrobras,”

says Alessandro Lima.

The fi rst time this application was used was for

Petrobras’s P-55 platform. The pipelines that offl oad

oil and gas from that rig are a total of over 80 km long,

which should require almost 3,000 tonnes of PCD 0140

and PCD 0140BR. Expectations are that consumption

will total 6,000 t/year in 2011 and more than 10,000 t/

year by 2013.

Replacing asbestos with PVC

The international market is an endless source of

ideas for new applications that can be very well-re-

ceived by Brazilian clients. That was the case with Pre-

con, a roof tile manufacturer based in Minas Gerais,

which partnered up with Braskem to launch a product

made with PVC instead of asbestos in 2011. Another

partner is Acinplas, a pioneer in Brazilian production

of silobags (plastic silos for grain storage) for farmers,

which teamed up with Braskem to fi nd the best tech-

nology, analyze market viability and develop the raw

material.

Thanks to the creation of PVC roof tiles, the Bra-

zilian market in March was introduced to a pioneering

alternative to tiles made with asbestos or aluminum. It

all started in mid-2009, when a shareholder of Precon,

another Braskem client, introduced the idea in Brazil

after it had been tested and approved in the Northern

Hemisphere. From the start, it had potential sales of

100,000 t/year – about 20% of the domestic roof tile

market.

The fi rst step was developing the formula for the

compound used to make the tiles, which have specifi c

requirements such as resistance to weathering and

processing. In China, members of the Braskem Market

Development team and Precon found a roofi ng model

that does not require a large investment and has tech-

nical performance suited to the Brazilian market.

That partnership was not limited to production. “We

worked together to build the business model for putting

the product on the market, since the client was already

INFORMA30

Innovation and Technology Center team members: creating new plastic resins while paying special attention to sustainable solutions


31INFORMA

active in the roofi ng business and could use their exist-

ing sales channel,” says Antônio Rodolfo, the Braskem

Manager for Application Engineering and Market De-

velopment. “Braskem has been a terrifi c partner in this

product launch, contributing to development, technolo-

gy and marketing,” observes Décio Gomes, CEO of Pre-

con. The company has a production capacity of 12,000

t/year of PVC roof tiles and is investing in expansion to

reach 16,000 tonnes by the end of the year.

Coffee packaging

Another joint evaluation of the applications of that

raw material confi rmed the idea, shared by Braskem

and Nova Plast, that plastic could be a good alterna-

tive for manufacturing coffee packaging for export.

“Caffè Dóro issued a report some time ago, indicating

that polypropylene sacking is the best way of preserv-

ing the quality of coffee based on parameters such as

aroma, cleanliness, sweetness, fl avor and bitterness.

That was the fi nal factor that made Nova Plast, a man-

ufacturer of screens, sacking and other polypropylene

products, decide to invest in factories to produce poly-

propylene fi ber sacks,” says Roberto Samartim, the

owner of Nova Plast.

The product was launched on the market in 2010

and, according to Samartim, sales are meeting ex-

pectations. By 2011, the company had sold 290 tonnes

of polypropylene for that application. According to

Braskem Application Engineering and Polypropylene

Market Development Manager Mônica Evangelista, the

market for coffee packed in jute sacks is estimated at

12 to 15 million units. “The same products made from

polypropylene could potentially replace 40% of that

market,” she says.

Grain storage

Some time ago, Acinplas, a national leader in the

production of plastic packaging for fruits and vegeta-

bles based in Estância Velha, Rio Grande do Sul, was

thinking of facilitating production of silobags in Brazil

as an alternative for farmers. The company contacted

Braskem, which already supplied it with polyethylene

used to make plastic bags, and they worked together to

fi nd a way to produce silobags in Brazil and introduce

an alternative grain storage culture in that country.

The product is already a success in Argentina,

whose farmers consumes about 150,000 units/year.

Consumption in Brazil was low – just 5,000 units, at

best. “Once we found a machine manufacturer in Chi-

na, Braskem immediately sent Linear PE (polyethyl-

ene) resin there for testing. After making the necessary

adjustments, we developed a durable and economical

product,” explains Acinplas Commercial Director Gus-

tavo Bazzano.

Acinplas has invested BRL 10 million in setting

up its silobag factory in Sapiranga, RS, called Paci-

fi l Brasil, which began operations in early 2011. The

unit has an annual production capacity of 60,000 si-

lobags, consuming up to 6,000 tonnes of polyethyl-

ene per year. Pursuant to the agreement between

the two companies, Braskem will be the exclusive

supplier for eight years. According to Bazzano, Paci-

fi l already plans to expand production capacity next

year with a projected investment of BRL 7 million.

“We are amazed by the demand, especially from

grain producers in the Midwest. We have sold 10,000

units this year,” says Bazzano. Braskem Account

Manager Carlos Carlucci underscores the sustain-

able nature of this initiative: “Pacifi l is prepared to

receive and recycle 10% of the silos sold,” he says.

In other words, Brazil and Argentina may be soccer

rivals, but in the case of silobags, they are playing on

the same team.

31INFORMA


32 INFORMA

written by FABIANA CABRAL

photos by RICARDO TELES producIN THE MOLD OF

ike pieces of a Lego set with various geo-

metric shapes and sizes and volumes.

This is a simple defi nition for the precast

pieces used in civil construction. But on

this particular project, precast pieces

mean fl exibility, quality and safety.

These pieces were fi rst used in some countries dur-

ing post-World War II reconstruction. They became

popular in Brazil in the 1950s, when businesses began

to streamline and industrialize processes. More than

60 years later, the presence of precast pieces in large

projects is growing steadily, and their applications are

becoming more and more challenging.

Odebrecht Energia is building one of the largest hy-

droelectric projects in the country in the Brazilian state

of Rondônia: the Santo Antônio plant, which will have 44

turbines and generate 3,150 MW of energy. According to

the construction master plan, developing new precast

pieces is key for optimizing the work, the safety of the

company’s members and the preservation of the envi-

ronment. “In construction, the industrialization of some

processes boosts the quantity and quality of activities

while ensuring people’s safety and quick results,” ex-

plains Project Director Mário Lúcio Pinheiro.

The precast pieces are manufactured by 240 pro-

fessionals in two yards near the site where they will be

used. “We produce 400 units per month, weighing from

5 to 28 tonnes apiece, and we plan to increase produc-

tion by 100 units over the next six months,” says Yards

Manager André Lima.

The project involves 827 different types of precast

pieces and more than 11,400 have already been installed.

“Precast pieces involve more assembly and less casting.

The more we reduce the casts used for these structures,

L

32


33INFORMA

uctivityPrecast pieces help put construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant ahead of schedule

Santo Antônio hydroelectric

plant in Rondônia: precast

pieces (lower right) also

improve workers’ safety

conditions and environmental

preservation

the faster the work goes,” says Technical and Engineer-

ing Manager Fernando Dias Resende. He adds that the

pieces are used as needed, based on feasibility. “Precast

pieces for the gallery [providing access for technicians

and equipment used for turbine maintenance], the par-

apet walls and jersey barriers are widely used in large

projects. Our challenge is to create original items, and

we have already developed a few,” he explains.

Combining new solutions

One of the new pieces specially designed for the plant

is a precast suction tube (a cone-shaped hydraulic de-

vice located at the turbine exit). The idea came up after

using the conventional method – wood concrete forms –

for Generator Group (GG) 1, on the right bank of the Ma-

deira River. “Wood forms need repairs and, moreover,

their reuse rate is poor,” says Fernando Resende.

The Engineering and Production teams got together

with the designers to make the idea a reality, and af-

ter six months of discussions and drafts, the precast

piece was created with a metal form. The teams de-

signed shapes weighing 11 to 21 tonnes according to

the crane’s available lifting capacity.

The new pieces are already being installed in the

suction pipes for Generator Group 2 and will also be ap-

plied to Generator Groups 3 and 4, all on the left bank.

Each pipe consists of 20 pieces, and a total of 36 tur-

bines will be installed using 720 precast pieces of dif-

ferent shapes and weights. To facilitate transport, the

largest precast pieces in the design are made right next

to the site where they will be used.

“We have reduced the execution time for the layer

from 60 to 45 days and increased productivity, safety

and environmental conservation,” says Rodrigo Galli,


INFORMA34

Production Manager for Power House 2. He explains

that, as a result, members are less exposed to the

risk of accidents, and 948 m3 of timber and 2,800 m3

of falsework (steel structures for bracing and securing

reinforced concrete) per unit are no longer required.

When precast pieces cannot be used, the process

is industrialized by assembling rebars in advance. “In-

stead of taking hundreds of rebars to be assembled at

heights of dozens of meters, we assemble the structure

on the ground and a crane positions it for concreting,”

says Rodrigo Galli.

These methods also keep the work fronts clean and

organized and contribute to the quality of the struc-

ture’s fi nishing. “The pieces don’t need touch-ups, be-

cause they are ready for use, minimizing rework. Each

structure is fully fi nished,” says Quality Control Man-

ager Almir Chieregato.

Key part of river diversion

Another precast piece developed for this project was

the trunnion beam used to support the main spillway,

which is essential to the civil and electromechanical in-

“The pieces do not need touch-ups, because they are ready for use, minimizing rework”

Almir ChieregatoMaking precast

pieces at the

plant’s jobsite

terface of the project. The trunnion beam supports the

arm of the sluice gate, which controls the level of the

plant’s reservoir. Using the conventional method, the

beam would be made by installing lateral bracing sup-

ported by a concrete pillar. Rodrigo Galli explains that

the precast piece has reduced the amount of work done

at height – the beams are 30 meters off the ground –

because they used cranes to install the parts. He ob-

serves that this solution has slashed costs by 50% and

reduced the work schedule by 20%, from 35 to 25 days.

“We have ensured that we will fi nish the civil engineer-

ing works on schedule so we can begin the electrome-

chanical activities and start diverting the river.”

The diversion of the Madeira River offi cially began

on July 5, in the presence of Brazilian President Dilma

Rousseff, Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobão, and

local and federal authorities, along with Marcelo Ode-

brecht, President and CEO of Odebrecht S.A., Henrique

Valladares, Entrepreneurial Leader (CEO) of Odebrecht

Energia, Eduardo de Melo Pinto, President of Santo An-

tônio Energia, and other leaders.

President Rousseff triggered the device that opened

the spillway fl oodgates, allowing water to fl ow through

the structure. “Santo Antônio represents a commit-

ment to the Brazilian environment and sustainable de-

velopment,” she said.

Mário Lúcio Pinheiro observes that this event

marked the beginning of a new phase of the project.

“The ideas conceived and lessons learned on the right

bank will be applied on the left. We will work hard to

ensure that the fi rst turbine starts generating power by

December 2011, and the other 43 are operating by the

end of 2015,” he adds.

According to Rodrigo Galli, teams from the compa-

ny’s other projects have visited the jobsite to familiar-

ize themselves with these new ideas so they can apply

them in the future.

Accompanied by Eduardo de Melo Pinto (left), Minister Edison Lobão, Rondônia Governor Confúcio de Moura, and Marcelo Odebrecht, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff triggers the device that opens the spillway fl oodgates: diversion of the Madeira River begins


35INFORMA 333355555555555555IINFNFORMORMRMORMO AAA

Health and Safety at Work

Environment Community Relations

Young Par tner Utilization of the Knowledge

Innovation

BECOME A PART OF THIS HISTORY

DON’T MISS OUT ON PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

SIGN UP AND SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

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For more information on the Destaque Award, please contact Ciaden ([email protected]).


36 INFORMA

hiFOURTEEN SECO

The platform

on the BGL-2

barge: Brazilian

innovation


37INFORMA

written by EMANUELLA SOMBRA

photos by ARTUR IKISHIMA

historyONDS THAT MADE

P-59 is the fi rst jack-up platform in the world to be launched from another fl oating platform


rom the top of P-59 platform’s control

tower, we hear the fi rst in a series of

three alarms that will trigger the re-

lease of the 7,700-tonne giant, care-

fully positioned on Petrobras’s BGL-2

barge. Four tugs are waiting for the operation to

start, which is expected to happen at noon on a gray

and rainy Friday. The excitement is growing every

minute as the countdown goes on. We are awaiting

the moment when P-59 will fall into the brackish

waters of the Paraguaçu River, close to its mouth.

Mário Moura and Jacques Raigorodsky – respec-

tively, the offi cer Responsible for Field Engineering

and the Corporate Engineering Manager – are wait-

ing on the BGL-2, where a team of about 50 people

are starting to move quickly to the stern of the ves-

sel, considered the safest place to be when the rig

shoves off. The operation is expected to take two

minutes early, but, providentially, the rain stops.

The third whistle blows at 11:45 am.

Then, Moura and Raigorodsky give the green

light for the launch: the activation of the hold-down

system (something like a thousand-tonne slingshot)

releases P-59 from the barge, which is gently slop-

ing down at about fi ve degrees. Gravity starts to do

its part and the rig slides across the BGL-2 with

near-zero friction. The operation has been calculat-

ed to take place on the calm and sheltered waters of

the Paraguaçu, Anyone watching the operation from

afar will have the impression of seeing a huge toy

skimming on the water, making giant waves until it

fi nally sails smoothly and stabilizes with the help of

the tugboats.

Two and a half years of work

The launch operation took less than a minute

– more precisely, 14 seconds – after two and a half

years of work by nearly 2,000 people from Consór-

cio Rio Paraguaçu (a joint venture of Odebrecht En-

genharia Industrial, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S/A

and UTC Engenharia), and represented an unprec-

edented feat in offshore engineering. This was the

fi rst time in the world that a jack-up (self-elevating)

oil rig had been launched from another fl oating ves-

sel, in this case Petrobras’s BGL-2 barge.

The critical moment of the operation took place

in June, as a result of hard work done at the ship-

F

yard in São Roque do Paraguaçu, a district of the

town of Maragogipe, 133 km from the state capi-

tal, Salvador, Bahia. It all began in 2007, when the

tender for the construction of platforms P-59 and

P-60 called for the completion of the project in a

place that was not adapted for launching offshore

platforms. One of Petrobras’s conditions was

that the rigs had to be built in the municipality of

São Roque, whose shipyard was not equipped to

launch those rigs.

“The choice of São Roque was a way of continu-

ing a process that already existed in the region –

the tradition of building jackets for oil rigs in the

1980s,” explains Odebrecht Project Director José

Luís Coutinho. “Not to mention that the São Roque

shipyard had recently been mobilized to build top-

sides [process modules and utilities] for the PRA-1

platform.” To fufi ll the client’s requirements, the

joint-venture contractor evaluated all of the al-

ternatives available in the offshore industry. The

problem was that none of them was fi nancially vi-

able or logistically feasible.

“The challenge was to fi nd the most innovative

methods that we could propose to become more

competitive and win the tender,” recalls Jacques

Raigorodsky, the engineer in charge of devising a

INFORMA38


39INFORMA

solution. One option would be to create a dry dock

where P-59 and P-60 would be built. But it wasn’t

even entertained for a simple reason: the high cost

of its implementation.

Another alternative was to build a launch ramp

similar to those used in conventional shipyards, but

that solution was also discarded because it would

also have had a substantial impact on the budget,

and it required the modifi cation of the yard’s original

layout. “After that procedure, we would have had to

dismantle everything and leave the place as it was

before.” The third and last technology evaluated –

loading the rigs onto a submersible barge that is

made to sink like a submarine – would have cost

about USD 5 million per operation. That solution

would require importing barges that might not even

be available.

Brazilian method

Then the light bulb of creativity lit up. In Jacques

Raigorodsky’s mind, a fourth alternative seemed

entirely possible – a barge normally used to launch

jackets (steel towers used in the extraction of oil

and gas) could also be used to launch a structure

with a hull. “It was a way to use a Brazilian method

that is owned by Petrobras, and which the company

could offer during the tender, but I had to convince

the guys that this was feasible. At fi rst, everyone

said it couldn’t be done,” the consultant recalls.

Gaining the confi dence of the client and his

own colleagues was just the fi rst battle to be won.

Once that hurdle was overcome, the joint-venture

contractor presented this proposal in the bid. It

won the tender, largely due to the competitiveness

generated by that innovative method for launch-

ing the rigs. After signing the contract, the team’s

challenge was to prove in practice that the launch

method would actually work. How? By using a

1:50 scale model and developing specifi c software

for the operation – in other words, a model and a

computer program to do all the calculations for

the simulation.

The solution was to use the testing tanks at the

Lab Oceano, in Rio de Janeiro, where every possible

launch option was thoroughly tested. The model

helped determine how the platform and the barge

would behave during the launch, which helped them

arrive at a launch angle that could overcome the

friction of inertia without making the rig pivot about

on the deck. The effect of pivoting would make the

platform rear up, causing the hull to come to rest on

a single point of the barge deck, which would dam-

Getting ready

for the launch

in São Roque

do Paraguaçu:

operation

involved over

1,700 workers


40 INFORMA

Worker at the yard and P-59:

new horizons for the Brazilian

oil industry


41INFORMA

age one or both of the structures. During that trial

and error stage, the team used 23 launch settings,

and 92 simulations were required to determine the

safest angle: 5.46 degrees. After that, the next step

would be to fi nd a material that would create the

least possible friction between the surface of the

barge and the hulls of P-59 and P-60.

The most appropriate combination was familiar

to old salts, and Odebrecht’s own engineers had

been testing it for decades. “It’s a nearly century-

old method: applying mutton tallow to the skids,

which, in our case, are made of steel on top and

wood on the bottom,” says Mário Moura. “And to

complete the process we coated the concrete and

steel ramp with Tefl on, so when these surfaces

come into contact, they produce very low friction,

about 2%.” Since the initial tests began, he worked

in partnership with Raigorodsky to develop the

method, taking charge of everything from coordi-

nating the teams to supervising every step to en-

sure that the operation went smoothly.

Leveling the barge with the pier

Moura watched the launch of P-59 in the Para-

guaçu River from the best place to feel the impact

of displacement: the barge itself. Three days ear-

lier, he also was responsible for every detail of the

load-out – the transfer of the rig from dry land to

the BGL-2, using a system of hydraulic jacks and

ramps built at the yard. “The load-out operation

was nothing new. Odebrecht’s technical team had

done it several times. But this kind of operation is

extremely delicate and requires the greatest pos-

sible care, because we needed to ensure that the

barge and the dock were at the same level through-

out the procedure. And that is very hard to do.”

In this case, “delicate” can mean painstaking and

slow. While the launch of P-59 lasted just 14 sec-

onds, the load-out took about 15 hours, inching for-

ward to the point where, to the naked eye, the rig did

not seem to be moving at all. “It involved three years

of dedication to make an event like this happen in

less than a day, and then, in less than a minute. But

one thing I’ve learned from Jacques and Coutinho is

this: for an operation to succeed, it takes planning

and very detailed procedures. Thorough prepara-

tion for the operation is essential. The rest is the

outcome of all that work,” says Moura, before giv-

ing his next instructions by radio. Standing close to

the river bank, he is still orchestrating the legion

of workers who are striving to continue the success

achieved in the previous month.

Now that the team has met the main challenge

of revolutionizing offshore engineering by making

it possible to use a new technology to launch jack-

up platforms, São Roque do Paraguaçu is getting

ready to repeat the same procedure with P-60. It

may seem simple, but it’s not. This is because Ode-

brecht and its joint-venture partners shared the

effort to complete P-59, which was towed back to

shore at the yard after the launch, where it under-

went the procedure of jacking the legs (when the

basic support structures are stabilized at the bot-

tom of the river).

It will take about six months to fi nish building

the rig. Another load-out procedure will be required

to install the drill fl oor before it can set out to sea

and start drilling offshore. Both P-59 and P-60 are

designed to operate in areas near the coast, at wa-

ter depths of up to 110 m water. Their drilling ca-

pacity is abyssal: out in the ocean, they will be able

to drill up to 10,000 m deep, which means they will

reach the oil deposits in the pre-salt layer.

“We’ve established a milestone for the offshore

industry, and this has been a fantastic learning ex-

perience for all the professionals involved in both the

simulations and in structural studies of scale models

and naval operations,” says Fernando Barbosa, CEO

of Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial, who closely fol-

lowed the fi nal moments of the fi rst stage. “The main

legacy from this entire operation is that it will always

be part of the Organization’s experience and knowl-

edge in its future projects, which will make us even

more competitive.”

Based on the results of this initial effort, the use

of this new technology promises to create fresh ho-

rizons for the Brazilian oil industry. “Because this

type of barge is readily available, we will be able

to build fl oating structures in other locations. We

now have a new launch method,” says Nilo Victor

de Oliveira, Petrobras’s Sectoral Manager for Jack-

Up Platform Construction. In São Roque do Para-

guaçu, the construction teams are still doing their

part. Bring on P-60!


42 INFORMA

written by RUBENY GOULART photos by GERALDO PESTALOZZI

steady AND VERSATILE


43INFORMA

The Norbe VI rig’s systems keep it in position over offshore oil wells in all weathers and reduce drilling time

Norbe VI in Rio de

Janeiro: the rig will

operate in the

pre-salt layer fi elds


INFORMA44

he semi-submersible drilling plat-

form Norbe VI arrived in Brazil in

March. In the coming weeks, as soon

as drilling starts for the fi rst oil wells

in Brazil’s pre-salt layer fi elds, it will

go into operation with the hallmark of innovation.

Operated by Odebrecht Oil & Gas (OOG), the drill

rig is equipped with a system known as “parallel

activity,” which substantially reduces the amount

of time spent drilling the wells and can generate

savings of up to USD 1 million per day for the cli-

ent – in this case, Petrobras. Another stand-out

feature for this unit, a steel colossus that is 240-m

long and as tall as a 14-story building, is dynamic

positioning. This technology allows the drilling

unit to be positioned the over the wells under the

harshest conditions, especially strong waves and

currents.

Also used by other international oil rig opera-

tors, adapting the parallel activity system Norbe

VI was an initiative of OOG engineers Herculano

Barbosa and José Pitta, with the support of the

Dutch design and engineering firm SBM, the

same company that managed the rig’s construc-

tion. The project took four years to complete, and

the version developed in-house came in cheaper

than its international counterparts. Even so, it

has all the advantages of the conventional sys-

tem, especially saving time and improving pro-

ductivity during drilling operations. The second

tower, which is installed next to the main one, is

lower and allows independent management. With

some adaptations, it can also be installed on con-

ventional rigs.

Drilling an oil well is done in stages, using col-

umns tipped with drills that can reach water depths

of up to 10,000 m. At the end of each stage, the

drill assembly is removed so a metal tube – the lin-

ing – can be lowered to protect the section drilled,

stabilizing the well and preventing the sides from

collapsing. This lining is fi xed in place with cement

paste. During the next stage, another column drills

even deeper and repeats the sequence, removing

the drill assembly and installing more tubes, until

the fi nal section of the well is reached. The inno-

vation on Norbe VI is reducing the time spent on

sequential up-and-down-column drilling.

Using the conventional operating system with

a single tower, it takes 40 days to reach a depth

of 5,000 meters below the surface. But paral-

lel activity drastically reduces that timeframe.

“You can save an average of eight days per well

drilled,” says Herculano Barbosa, based on the

experience of someone who has participated in

major offshore projects on rigs operated by OOG

and its predecessor, Odebrecht Perfurações

Ltda. (OPL). According to Herculano, it takes

about 12 hours to lower and remove each of the

six columns used in drilling with the conventional

system, but the twin towers cut that time almost

in half. “While one column is drilling, the other is

on its way down,” explains Herculano. “It saves

time, money and effort.”

T

Norbe VI’s parallel activity

towers: less time spent raising

and lowering drilling columns


45INFORMA

Designed to operate at water depths of up to

2,400 m and drilling depths of up to 9,000 m, Norbe

VI is a semi-submersible rig that is self-propelled

and therefore does not need to be towed from one

exploration site to another. OOG commissioned it

from the Dutch fi rm SBM, a company with global

operations in that sector, and it was built at the

GPC Gulf Piping shipyard in Abu Dhabi, United

Arab Emirates, after carefully selecting suppliers

from several countries.

Along with Norbe VIII, another recent arrival in

Rio de Janeiro; Norbe IX, which is on its way to

Brazil; ODN I and ODN II, which are in fi nal stages

of construction in South Korea, and the ODN Tay,

OOG’s latest acquisition, Norbe VI forms part of

a state-of-the-art fl eet of deepwater drilling rigs

that OOG will soon be operating. Norbe IX is ex-

pected to arrive in Brazil in July 2011.

More technologically advanced than her sisters,

Norbe VI is anchored outside Guanabara Bay, near

Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, where it is undergoing the

fi nal phase of testing. In the coming weeks, it will

head out for the production area. This unit has ac-

commodations for up to 140 people. Its dynamic

positioning system works with eight underwater

propellers, as well as GPS and radio positioning,

which capture satellite signals to accurately re-

align the rig over the wellhead.

Odebrecht invested 20% of the total required to

build Norbe VI, and the remaining 80% was raised

through project fi nancing – fi nancial engineering in-

volving the contractor, builder and manager of the rig.

The contract that OOG signed with Petrobras provides

for chartering and operating the rig for 10 years.

Conceived in 2006

Norbe VI was fi rst conceived in 2006, the year

OOG was created. A group of OOG professionals

traveled to the US city of Houston, Texas, in June

of that year to work on the engineering design. By

mid-2007, an OOG team was closely monitoring

construction of the rig.

An iconic achievement, Norbe VI marks Ode-

brecht’s return to drilling offshore oil wells after

a six-year absence. Until 2000, the company oper-

ated in that area through OPL, established in 1979

when Odebrecht acquired the Norbe I platform in

Singapore to drill off the coast of Sergipe, Brazil.

In the 1980s, in the wake of Petrobras’s invest-

ments in deep-water exploration, OPL acquired

the Norbe II, III, IV and V and Asterie rigs. By the

end of that decade, it owned one of the largest pri-

vate fl eets of offshore oil rigs in Brazil.

All told, OOG is investing about USD 3.5 billion

in its spheres of operations, including its fl eet of

deep-water drilling rigs. The operations of Norbe

VI and Norbe VIII, in addition to delivery of Norbe

IX in less than two months, will reposition OOG

as one of the largest private Brazilian operators

of deepwater drilling rigs. This is happening at a

time when Brazil is becoming one of the world’s

largest oil producing nations, which is a two-fold

reason to celebrate.


46 INFORMA

ship

Built in the early 90s in Singapore and Brazil, P-18 produced know-how that the companies participating in the project still use to this day

MEMORY

P-18 under construction

in Singapore: almost

20 years since the signing

of the contract for the

rig’s construction

AC

ER

VO O

DE

BR

EC

HT


47INFORMA

written by CLÁUDIO LOVATO FILHO

ip shapeTHE LADY IS

ts stature, as always, is expressed in its titles:

the largest semi-submersible platform in the

world at the time of construction; the fi rst of

its kind to produce oil in Brazil; the fi rst to op-

erate at a water depth of one thousand feet

in that country, where it once held the record for oil

production: 100,000 barrels per day; the focus of

Petrobras’s fi rst major international tender; the Bra-

zilian oil company’s fi rst platform built abroad from

scratch, that is, an entirely new rig, not a conver-

sion of an existing vessel. But aside from these many

labels that give it a permanent place in the history

of the Brazilian oil industry, P-18 was a watershed

in the history of Petrobras, Odebrecht’s operations

in the offshore sector, and relations between Brazil

and Singapore, the country where part of the plat-

form was built. P-18 came into the world under the

sign of pioneer spirit to fulfi ll a revolutionary destiny

at the Marlim oil fi eld in Campos Basin, off the coast

of Rio de Janeiro State.

“Much of what Petrobras is doing today in deep-wa-

ter drilling, including operations in the pre-salt layer,

is down to the P-18 platform,” says Arnaldo Arcadier,

Executive Manager of Petrobas’s Fleet Modernization

and Expansion Program (Promef). “It was a fl agship

project due to its pioneering work and innovation, a

project that has created confi dence in the progress of

oil exploration.” Arnaldo was the Project Manager for

P-18. He lived in Singapore from June 1991 to April

1993. Along with 11 Petrobras colleagues and their

families, he arrived in that country in the months fol-

lowing the signing of the contract between Petrobras,

Odebrecht (represented by Tenenge) and FELS – Far

East Levingston Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of the Kep-

pel Corporation of Singapore, and one of the world’s

top builders of rigs for the oil industry.

Therefore, it is almost 20 years since the signing

of the contract for the construction of P-18, the result

of an international tender whose bidders included a

Finnish contractor and another Brazilian engineer-

ing and construction company, in addition to the Te-

nenge-FELS consortium. On June 3, 2011, Arnaldo

welcomed the co-workers with whom he shared the

experience of living and working in Singapore in the

early 90s to his home in Rio de Janeiro’s Leblon dis-

trict. They recalled their experiences, watched home

videos, spoke of the passing of time, their work yes-

terday and today, and advances in technology, and

laughed when they remembered that when they were

going home to rest, the company’s people in Brazil

were just getting to work.

A globally innovative project

“To build P-18, Petrobras studied the best avail-

able in terms of semisubmersible platform design

worldwide. It had experience of using these plat-

forms for drilling, but not production. P-18’s design

was thus globally innovative, and, moreover, would

have to be built as an EPC (Engineering, Procure-

ment and Construction) project, which was brand

new at the time, and, consequently, a challenge that

was also a learning experience for the company,”

says Arnaldo. Under an EPC contract, the builder is

responsible for all phases of the project, with near-

ly all activities concentrated at the jobsite – in this

case, the shipyard.

I


48 INFORMA

Building the platform in Singapore gave Petrobras

its fi rst experience of sharing the execution of a proj-

ect with a foreign shipbuilder, FELS. It was also a fi rst

for the Singapore company. Odebrecht’s prior famil-

iarity with FELS and vice versa made an important

contribution to the success of their relationship, es-

pecially at the beginning. In the late 80s, the two com-

panies had worked together in India: Odebrecht had

contracted FELS to extend the legs of fi xed platform

Norbe V. It was the beginning of a relationship that

led them to form the consortium that bid for the P-18

project. Having won the tender, it was time to begin

sharing the daily life of the FELS shipyard in Singa-

pore, which lasted almost two years until the platform

departed for Paranaguá, Brazil, where the project was

completed.

“We put all our concerns on the table,” recalls Jeff

Chow, General Manager (Legal) of Keppel Offshore

& Marine, who was a major participant in the for-

mation of the consortium between Odebrecht and

FELS. “We talked frankly, clearly establishing every-

one’s responsibilities on the project. What followed

was the emergence of trust of the highest quality. I

established friendships with Brazilians from Petro-

bras and Odebrecht that I maintain to this day. All

of us, people from FELS, Petrobras and Odebrecht,

bonded and became a family, and that was essential

to achieving our common goals the way they were

achieved,” he adds.

Jeff Chow’s statements are key to getting a good

idea of what happened in Singapore and Brazil during

the P-18 project. All three companies were experienc-

ing challenges that were entirely new to them (and in

some cases, to the world) while working on a project

that would become a benchmark for the oil industry.

Unity, cohesion and synergy refl ected their common

focus.

“Personal relationships are the fi rst and main key

to opening doors,” says Wai Seng Yeong of FELS, who

was the Engineering Manager on the P-18 project and

is currently Vice President Special Projects at Keppel

Offshore & Marine. Wai Seng lived in Rio de Janeiro

for two years. “Everything was new for us,” he recalls.

“We had an excellent design from Petrobras, really

sophisticated. There was a record to beat – 100,000

barrels per day. We had to understand each other very

well. The construction of the hull and installation of

equipment in Singapore and the hook-up operation

in Paranaguá were challenges we overcame, most of

all through a good working environment and the feel-

ing that we were all on the same team.” The hook-up

stage is the completion of the platform, including the

installation of processing modules and piping, wiring,

assembly of instruments, the security system and ac-

commodations.

“P-18 was a milestone for us,” says Choo Chiau

Beng, CEO of the Keppel Corporation and Chairman of

Keppel Offshore & Marine. “It was our fi rst project for

Petrobras. It was a tremendous learning experience

for us, and we put our best team on the project. As a

builder of semisubmersible drill rigs and accommo-

dations, Keppel FELS could contribute its expertise to

building a platform like P-18 on time with the requisite

quality. The unity of the Odebrecht, Keppel FELS and

Petrobras teams, acting with cohesion, synergy and

friendship, led to the success of that project.” He adds:

“Without a doubt, P-18 brought Brazil and Singapore

much closer together.”

INFORMA48

JÔ

NIO

MA

CH

AD

O /

PE

TR

OB

RA

S I

MA

GE B

AN

K


49INFORMA

World’s largest fl oating oil

production plant

Odebrecht’s team in Singapore was led by Project

Manager Fernando Barbosa, now CEO of Odebrecht

Engenharia Industrial. Fernando was 35 when he

undertook responsibility for leading the project. The

young professional had a 36,000-tonne challenge on

his hands that would represent a decisive step toward

achieving much-desired oil self-suffi ciency for Bra-

zil. Fernando, who joined the Organization in 1985

and had previously participated in offshore projects in

Bahia for another company and later for Odebrecht,

fi rst went to Singapore in February 1990. He spent

two and a half years there and one year in Paranaguá.

Regarding the time he worked in the Southeast Asian

city-state, he recalls: “There was an 11-hour differ-

ence in the time zone and no Internet, only faxes! It

was an extraordinary experience. Forming a team and

a culture of procedures to run an innovative project,

and living in the East was impressive and inspiring.”

In addition to Fernando, nine Odebrecht members

and their families went to Singapore to work on that

project.

Fernando points out that FELS had never built a pro-

duction platform before – just drill rigs. The construction

of a production platform is much more complex. It is an

industrial unit designed to operate in high seas. P-18 be-

came the largest fl oating oil production plant in the world.

The know-how that Odebrecht and Petrobras teams

gained regarding this type of structure was an important

factor. “P-18 was a major source of learnings for every-

one,” says Fernando, adding: “In those days, Odebrecht

was focused on the ‘Brazilian content,’ which led to the

decision to build part of the project in Singapore and com-

plete it in Brazil, at the Paranaguá yard.”

After the P-18 experience, he returned to Singa-

pore and lived there for over a year and a half, this time

as an Odebrecht DPA (Country Director). “I matured

a lot professionally in Singapore. It was a pleasure to

spend four years there.”

Arnaldo Arcadier feels much the same way. “We de-

veloped some procedures in Singapore that Petrobras

has consolidated and still uses today, especially with re-

gard to project management.” In his offi ce in the Petro-

bras building on Presidente Vargas Avenue in downtown

Rio de Janeiro, he says, with a refl ective tone: “P-18

gave a major boost to Petrobras’s oil production proj-

ects. When I joined the company in 1978, we produced a

total of 160,000 barrels per day. Since 1994, P-18 alone

has produced as much as 100,000 barrels per day.”

The work done in Singapore went on from June

1991 to April 1993, when the platform was shipped out

to Paranaguá. The voyage was made possible by a so-

phisticated transportation system known as dry-tow: the

Transhelf, registered under the Russian fl ag and owned

by the Wjsmuller company, was partially submerged so

the platform could be fl oated onto its deck. The voyage to

Brazil lasted 34 days.

In the Paranaguá Basin, the dry-tow operation was

performed in reverse before tugboats pulled P-18 to the

dock. In March 1994, P-18 arrived in the Campos Ba-

sin. On June 15, it got “fi rst oil.” By January 1997 it had

reached the milestone of 100,000 barrels/day. Currently,

it produces 30,000 barrels per day. Unable to hide the

emotion in his words, Arnaldo Arcadier explains: “The

life of a platform like P-18 is 25 years. After 17 years of

oil production in rough seas, we can say that she is now

a mature lady.”

49INFORMA

The platform operating today

in the Marlim Field in the Santos

Basin: a leading role in record-

breaking production


50 INFORMA

he fi rst sugarcane seedlings arrived in

Brazil in 1533, introduced by the Portu-

guese. Its choice of that unpretentious

crop was due to Portugal’s need to oc-

cupy the newly discovered territory. To-

day, Brazil is the second-largest producer of ethanol and

the number-one sugar producer, using the Portuguese

“experiment” as raw material. The ethanol and sugar

industry provides direct employment opportunities for

more than a million people with a turnover of BRL 50

billion per year.

However, the next bioenergy revolutions will not take

so long. “Investment in technology will be a major com-

petitive advantage in the coming years,” said Carlos

Calmanovici, the ETH Bioenergy offi cer Responsible for

Innovation and Technology, an area connected directly

to the company’s CEO. “Technology advances at an in-

credible speed, so there are numerous opportunities

out there.”

Development opportunities can be found through-

out the ethanol and biomass electricity production pro-

cess, with results expected in both the short and long

term. “We will generate biomass energy with more

speed and quality using new cane varieties, transgenic

or not, that are better adapted to different types of soils

and drought and pest resistant, with higher sugar and

fi ber content,” explains Calmanovici. In the industrial

area, one priority for researchers is pursuit of higher

yields through the fermentation process.

Industrial identity

In the next decade, new applications for ethanol

and the next generations of biodiesel will already be

a reality. “The plans in the pipeline are confi dential,

but we can say that we are constantly seeking syner-

gies with other Odebrecht companies, and ETH will

play an important role in this sector by 2020,” says

Calmanovici.

Despite the “strategic secrecy” about the compa-

ny’s plans, the path to achieving excellence is simple:

partnering up with the leading knowledge producers

in Brazil. Today, ETH has agreements in place to de-

velop new technologies in partnership with academic

institutions such as the Federal University at São Car-

los (UFSCar) and the State University at Campinas

(Unicamp), among others.

T

Bio-revolut

Unicamp Professor

Gonçalo Pereira: the

industry is looking

to the future

written by GUILHERME OLIVEIRA photos by BRUNA ROMARO


INFORMA

Technology investments will be the ethanol and sugar industry’s main competitive edge in coming years

Professor Gonçalo Pereira, Head of the Depart-

ment of Genetics, Evolution and Biogenetics at Uni-

camp, is in charge of the partnership project with

ETH. He explains the focus of the study: “The trans-

formation of sugar into alcohol is done with natural

wild yeast. We are studying its genetic structure to

produce industrial types of yeast, which obtain higher

productivity in the conversion process.”

He observes that academia has the knowledge,

but it is ETH that is making innovations. “The attitude

of being constantly dissatisfi ed with the technologies

available and looking to the future is unprecedented

in this sector, and ETH is at the forefront of that drive.

It is a young company that makes innovation a pillar

of its operations.”

Gonçalo Pereira predicts that the company and

academia will have a successful relationship. “Univer-

sities are on the lookout for partnerships like these.

Brazil has a culture of using money to do science.

In this win-win scenario, we’ll use science to make

money.” ETH’s Calmanovici agrees: “We see a lot of

expertise in academia and need to maximize the use

of that knowledge to add value to our products. ETH’s

growth target is ambitious, and overcoming that chal-

lenge depends on the proper use of new technologies

with support from our partners. The ability to innovate

is the path to leadership.”

utions


52 INFORMA

surfaceA DREAM COMES T

Worker at the

UFEM construction

site, part of the

project underway

in Itaguái: a bold

and decisive step

for the Brazilian Navy


53INFORMA

fter over 30 years, the dream is fi nally coming

true. In the near future, Brazil will have its fi rst

nuclear-powered submarine. It will be built in

Brazil through the Brazilian Navy’s Subma-

rine Development – Shipyard and Naval Base

Program (Prosub-EBN). Having a nuclear submarine will bol-

ster the Navy’s operations in deep waters far from shore. It will

also mark Brazil’s entry into the select group of countries that

have the technology, which currently includes the United States,

France, Britain, Russia and China.

For this reason, Brazil signed technology transfer agree-

ments with France in 2008 that enabled the start of construction

of a shipyard, a naval base, four conventional Scorpene subma-

rines and a nuclear-powered sub. The French state-owned fi rm

DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales et Services) is re-

sponsible for overseeing the process of transferring the tech-

nology to the Brazilian Navy and Odebrecht.

Choosing French technology

Traditionally, the countries that have nuclear submarines

developed their designs on the basis of several stages of the de-

velopment of their conventional submarines. Many took years to

develop that technology. Today, just two countries produce both

conventional and nuclear subs: France and Russia. The Brazil-

ian Navy visited both countries, studied their designs, surveyed

their clients worldwide, and concluded that France was the

most solid partner for Brazil.

In the fi rst place, this is because France was willing to trans-

fer technology for both the design of a nuclear-powered sub-

marine – in this case, internal structures and systems (except

for the nuclear reactor, which was developed by the Navy itself)

– and conventional Scorpene subs.

In the second place, the conventional Scorpene sub is dif-

ferent from other conventional models because it includes

security concepts similar to those used in its nuclear coun-

terpart (such as sensor, combat and motor cooling systems,

etc.). This is because the design is derived from the Rubis/Am-

ethyste, another French nuclear submarine. Brazil’s participa-

tion in the construction of the fi rst the four Scorpene subma-

rines will begin in 2011. That vessel will be completed by 2015.

Training in France and Brazil

At the moment, Odebrecht Infraestrutura and Odebrecht

Engenharia Industrial teams are hard at work at the jobsite in

Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, building the Metal Structures Manufac-

turing Units (UFEM), where the metal parts of the submarines

will be made – that is, sections of the hull and internal struc-

written by EDILSON LIMA

photos by ANDRÉ VALENTIM

eS TO THE

Brazil starts fulfi lling a long-held plan: building submarines, including a nuclear-powered sub

A


tures – as well as the Shipyard and Naval Base (EBN).

Expectations are that the UFEM will open in 2012, and

the EBN should be up and running by 2015. The sub-

marines will be built in stages during the second part

of the program. The fi nal unit will be delivered by 2025,

when the nuclear-powered submarine will go into op-

eration. Odebrecht will participate in the construction

of the subs through Itaguaí Construções Navais, a joint

venture with DCNS.

Members of the Brazilian Navy and Odebrecht

receive training from the DCNS team in France and

Brazil. In the case of the EBN, knowledge is trans-

ferred through the Technical Information Package,

which comes from France and is delivered to the Navy

and then to Odebrecht, following the Navy’s analysis

and approval. The information is absorbed and ap-

plied to the basic and detailed design. “The lessons

learned from this project will make Odebrecht the

fi rst Brazilian company with the know-how to design

and build shipyards for conventional and nuclear

submarines,” says the Director Responsible for the

Shipyard and Naval Base, Fabio Gandolfo, from Ode-

brecht Infraestrutura.

The French state-owned fi rm’s choice of Ode-

brecht as a partner was based on the Organiza-

tion’s expertise in major projects, including nuclear

technology (the Angra dos Reis power plants in Rio

de Janeiro State), and its operations in the offshore

market, including construction of several oil rigs in

Brazil and other countries. “DCNS saw Odebrecht

as a Brazilian company with the characteristics

needed to absorb the French technology and carry

out the Prosub program,” says Fernando Barbosa,

CEO of Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial, the com-

pany responsible for building the conventional and

nuclear subs.

Shipbuilding industry gains steam

The relationship between Brazil and submarines

and their technology dates back to the early 20th cen-

tury, when the country acquired its fi rst conventional

sub. But it was only in 1993 that it launched the fi rst

submarine built on Brazilian soil, at the Naval Arsenal

in Rio de Janeiro: the S Tamoio (S-31), using German

technology. That step marked the beginning of the na-

tion’s pursuit of technological independence. In 1979,

the Navy Nuclear Program (PNM) was created to de-

velop a Brazilian nuclear submarine.

Despite making important advances in nuclear propul-

sion, the PNM suffered doldrums, particularly in the 1990s.

Then, in early 2000, the Brazilian Government decided to

invest in the shipbuilding industry and encourage the par-

ticipation of the private sector to give it a boost and gen-

erate work opportunities. Those incentives were further

bolstered by the discovery of oil in the pre-salt layer. About

90% of the country’s exports and imports pass through ap-

proximately 560 km of its coastline. The Navy is responsible

for protecting that area. In this context, the need emerged

to reinvest in building submarines, because the Navy’s cur-

rent fl eet only includes fi ve units.

According to Admiral Alan Arthou, who is directing the

Shipyard and Naval Base project for the Navy, joining the

group of countries that own the technology to build nucle-

ar submarines is a source of national pride: “Prosub will

mean that Brazil has achieved technological independence

in the fi eld of shipbuilding and nuclear submarines. This

will be good for the Navy and for businesses because of the

technological expertise it will bring, as well as enabling us

to defend our national sovereignty.”

Dredging Sepetiba Bay

A dredging operation is underway to remove soft

soil from the bottom of Sepetiba Bay to make the

INFORMA54

Dredging

Sepetiba Bay:

environmental

preservation


55INFORMA

area ready for construction and lay the foundations

for the structures included in the EBN project. Af-

ter that operation is completed, rockfi ll containment

walls will be built to reclaim land from the sea. Then,

the wharf, piers, industrial and administrative facili-

ties and other supplementary units will be built.

The Shipyard and the Naval Base will face each

another, like two arms reaching out to sea on the

shores of Sepetiba Bay. Those arms will encom-

pass the Dársena (submarine berthing areas on

both sides that will provide access to two dry-docks,

which are included in the project for submarine

maintenance and fuel replacement), the harbor ba-

sin and the access channel, areas where the sub-

marines will maneuver to enter the EBN’s facilities.

All these areas will have a 12-meter draft.

Based on previous studies, the materials to be

removed during dredging will include pockets of

sediments contaminated with heavy metals (cad-

mium, nickel, lead and zinc), resulting from years

of pollution by factories previously installed there

that have been shut down. All told, these pockets

amount to 300,000 cu.m. The materials that are

not chemically contaminated will be dredged and

dumped in the sea in a site authorized by IBAMA

(the Brazilian environmental agency) outside of

Sepetiba Bay, 56 km from the construction site. In

the case of contaminated materials, the solution is

using Geotube® bags, which are 65 m long, 18 m

wide and 2.4 m high.

The bags are placed in the Chemical Contaminants

Decanting Unit (UDCQ) in a specially built basin, 13 m

deep, 255 m long and 130 m wide, fully protected by an

HDPE (high-density polyethylene) lining and a layer of

gravel. The process goes like this: the dredged mate-

rial is suctioned and discharged from the seabed and

pumped via a pipeline onto the shore, where it goes

through a treatment unit. To start out the treatment

process, a polymer is injected through ionization in or-

der to “fl occulate” the dredged material and allow it to

be fi ltered. Then the material will go through a pipeline

and be released into the bags.

“These bags retain heavy metals, allowing the

treated effl uent to pour through the fabric so it can

return to the sea free of contaminants,” says Sérgio

Pinheiro, Odebrecht’s Director for Maritime Projects.

Finally, the bags will be covered with a layer of soil for

protection to prevent contaminants from polluting the

environment.

The Prosub-EBN project will also make an impor-

tant contribution to the professional education of local

workers. Currently, 3,000 people are working on the

construction project. More than 2,000 people will have

learned new job skills through the Ongoing Professional

Education Program – Acreditar (Believe) by the time the

Shipyard and Naval Base are completed in 2015.


56

t the invitation of Odebrecht Informa,

three of the Organization’s medics –

Gilberto Ururahy, Mayanse Boulos

and Sebastião Loureiro – got togeth-

er to answer questions about innova-

tion and technology in the fi eld of health. For them,

technology is welcome, but must always be used

appropriately. The focus should be on health promo-

tion, disease prevention and early diagnosis, helping

their clients live a long, independent life. This strat-

egy reduces the risks of disease and, consequently,

the costs of health care and hospitalizations. Here is

what they think about various subjects and the main

challenges the Odebrecht Organization is facing in the

fi eld of Health.

written by JOSÉ ENRIQUE BARREIRO

healtINNOVATIVELY

A

Sebastião Loureiro (left) and Gilberto Ururahy

The impact of technology on

performance in medicine

For Gilberto, Mayanse and Sebastião, improving life

expectancy and reduced health damage are partly due to

the use of new technologies, including vaccines and an-

tibiotics. Life expectancy worldwide has risen from 76.4

years in 1980 to 81.01 in 2010. Humanity is well on its way

to 100-year lifespans. Therefore, innovations in health are

welcome, and improve the performance of medicine.

New technologies and increased

health care costs

The three doctors mentioned some procedures that

have a high impact on the cost of medical care, includ-

ing diagnostic imaging and tests, prostheses that replace

or enhance body parts, and implants to restore biological

functions. The central issue for them is striking a balance

between demand and consumption, avoiding indiscrimi-

nate and excessive spending. In 1999, the world spent

USD 473 per person/year on health care; in 2010, that

fi gure rose to USD 771. However, technology is producing

medicine, equipment and diagnoses that are more accu-

rate and less invasive, and because of that, health profes-

sionals must continuously update their knowledge.

The Organization’s medics talk about health and technology


Alternatives to the high cost of

health care

Gilberto, Mayanse and Sebastião recommend preven-

tive care, which, although little explored and undervalued,

can have effective results and be less costly for people,

businesses and society. They believe the focus should

be on health promotion, disease prevention and early di-

agnosis. This strategy reduces the risks of disease and,

consequently, the costs of treatment and hospitalization.

The issue of health in the business

world

The three Odebrecht medics understand that the

business world is experiencing the same situation as

society in general: the predominant view of medicine is

based on technological innovations in equipment and low

investment in disease prevention and health promotion

incentives, information and practices. To change that,

companies must get to know the health profi les of their

members and their consumption habits when it comes

to health services and technologies to establish risk

groups and focus preventive care and health promotion

on those individuals in order to reduce damage to their

health. A prevention program should include information

and incentives to induce them to change their habits. It

should also establish goals and biological indicators for

satisfaction, cost assessment and accident reduction.

Health care innovation and

technology at Odebrecht

The doctors explain that the focus of the Odebrecht

Health Policy is on health promotion and disease pre-

vention. Because of that, they take into consideration

the member’s lifestyle, family history and the environ-

ment in which they are located. When a health problem

arises, they take an active role in the management of

the patient’s health using the technologies available.

Those technologies include the Internet, through which

lthy

57INFORMA

Mayanse Boulos

doctors can speed up the exchange of information, in-

teracting with partners and providing medical records

online for strategic members whose health data is on

fi le so it can be analyzed by medical support teams

wherever the company member may be.

Main health care challenges for the

Odebrecht Organization

The main challenge, they say, is increasingly con-

solidating the entire Organization with its Health, Work-

place Safety and Environment teams. We must also

make progress in harmonizing the decentralization of

operations with the need for consolidated health care

information in order to reuse acquired knowledge, gain

more fl exibility in the treatment of diseases and lower

costs. As a result, the more than 100 physicians at Ode-

brecht will be better able to coordinate the care of the

Organization’s 140,000 members.

Message to young doctors joining

the Organization

Actively manage your client’s health. Get to know them

thoroughly. Always focus on prevention. Do everything you

can to prevent your patient from getting sick. Chronic dis-

eases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, which

originate from poor lifestyle choices, cause tremendous

suffering in the long term and have a very high cost for

society. A disease is a signal that must be interpreted and

understood before it is fought. Gain a thorough mastery

of your business, engage in networking in your area, and

keep up to date. Culture is the biggest barrier in the glo-

balized world. Remember what Mr. Norberto Odebrecht

says: “People are the beginning and end of all activities in

society, and their work is the primary means of ensuring

the survival, growth and perpetuity of the species. Health

is the basis for their full development.” Theoretically, we

are born healthy, but sometimes we neglect our health, a

delicate matter and our greatest asset.


58 INFORMA


59INFORMA

prosperity

FAIRER TIMES AND DAYS OF MORE

In the Southern Bahia Lowlands in Northeastern Brazil, cooperatives ensure better incomes for small family farmers

written by GABRIELA VASCONCELLOS

photos by BEG FIGUEIREDO

Balbino dos Santos

with his children on

the family farm: direct

link with conscious

consumers


INFORMA60

armer Balbino Santos, 55, and his fam-

ily have put down roots on the same land

where his father and grandfather lived. He

has always wanted to stay in the country-

side, and that desire has grown along with

his community’s development. Planted on his 8-hect-

are farm, Balbino’s crops – bitter and sweet cassava,

pineapples and plantains – now have a guaranteed

outlet: the Presidente Tancredo Neves Rural Produc-

ers Cooperative (Coopatan), located in the Southern

Bahia Lowlands. This hasn’t always been the case.

“Life’s been hard. The buyers used to set the price –

when we had any buyers,” says the farmer, a resident

of Riachão da Serra county in Valença, Bahia.

Balbino and his wife and children belong to the

Cassava Cooperative Alliance. According to this

model, farmers are organized in cooperatives that

use the services of a processing plant – which gives

products more value added – and merchants, who

make room for them on their shelves in the spirit

of partnership and solidarity. This creates a direct

link with conscious consumers, ensuring that family

farmers always get a fair price for their produce. The

contributions of all the actors involved help strength-

en this win-win game. In this case, Rural Family

Houses also provide education, which is an integral

and essential part of grooming the next generation of

cooperative members.

The Cooperative Alliance’s innovative model is

helping change lives in the Southern Bahia Lowlands

– a micro-region in Northeastern Brazil formed by 11

counties that are home to more than 285,000 people.

The Odebrecht Foundation has introduced the con-

cept there and supports the Program for the Inte-

grated and Sustainable Development of the Mosaic

of Environmental Protection Areas in the Southern

Bahia Lowlands (PDIS). This social technology was

created to foster productive inclusion, eradicate pov-

erty and reduce inequalities.

“Between 1998 and 1999, cassava farmers were

experiencing a crisis in Presidente Tancredo Neves

and the surrounding area. At that time, a kilo of cas-

sava sold for three to fi ve cents. It wasn’t profi table

and didn’t bring in a fair income,” recalls Juscelino

Macedo, the current leader of the Cassava Coopera-

tive Alliance and one of the people who helped create

Coopatan 11 years ago.

As a result, the community got organized and decided

to cut out the middleman, selling their produce directly

to major retail chains. The price of cassava quadrupled.

Balbino remembers it well. “Now we have the right

outlets for our production. We don’t lose our crops and

there’s no downside,” he says. Thanks to the cooperative,

producers now have access to farming methods that en-

sure higher quality and productivity: the average harvest

has risen from 9 tonnes to 21 tonnes of cassava per hect-

are, a fi gure that reaches up to 68 t/ha on some farms.

Part of the Cassava Cooperative Alliance – which

includes a cassava fl our mill, Presidente Tancredo

Neves Rural Family House (CFR-PTN), social partners

and conscious consumers – Coopatan is changing the

lives of 187 families. Recently, its members also started

selling fruits and vegetables, which has given a further

boost to the producers’ incomes.

“We are helping ensure that people stay in the

countryside and enjoy quality of life. Even small

farmers can earn an income compatible with their

needs and become the protagonists of their own de-

velopment,” says Fábio Sento Sé, Social Responsi-

bility Manager at GBarbosa (Brazil’s fourth-largest

supermarket chain) and Director of the GBarbosa

Institute. In addition to marketing the cooperative’s

products, this social partner has chosen to use Coo-

patan’s cassava fl our as its own brand. Coopatan’s

partners also include Walmart, Pão de Açúcar and

Empresa Baiana de Alimentos (EBAL).

Synergy

Acting in line with Coopatan, the CFR-PTN seeks

to provide high-quality professional education to young

people, encouraging them to stay in the countryside

and work on their family farms. The method used is

the Pedagogy of Alternation, which allows students to

spend a week at the school as boarders, with lessons in

the classroom and in the fi eld, and two weeks on their

properties to apply what they have learned. Benefi cia-

ries of the institution who have completed three years of

schooling receive a high school diploma and a technical

certifi cate in Agriculture.

Cooperative members go to the Family House once

a week, taking part in classes and encouraging stu-

dents to join their ranks. Currently, four Coopatan

technicians are CFR-PTN alumni and 13 youths have

joined the cooperative.

F

INFORMA60


61INFORMA 61INFORMA

Balbino’s children are also actively tak-

ing part in the CFR-PTN. Abinael dos San-

tos, 17, graduated in 2010 and now works

in the school’s fi nancial department. “This

is another learning experience for me. I

want to buy a bigger property and make

it sustainable,” says the young man, who

divides his time between that experience

and farm work.

Balbino’s youngest child, Ubiratam dos

Santos, 15, used to think about taking off

for the big city. However, his big brother’s example

not only made him give up that idea but made him

fall in love with farming. He has followed in Abinael’s

footsteps and now studies at the CFR-PTN. “Ten

years from now I’ll have my own farm, producing

high-yield crops as a member of Coopatan,” says

Ubiratam.

Abinael and Ubiratam are transferring all the

knowledge they have acquired in practical and theo-

retical classes at the CFR-PTN to their family farm.

Balbino stresses that these new methods are mak-

ing their farm more productive. “When they go home,

they talk about what they studied that week, and we

go out into the fi elds to see what we’re doing wrong.

Today we can see that it’s made a difference,” says

their father. Antonia dos Santos, Balbino’s wife and

the young men’s mother, wants to see her children

fulfi ll their dreams and ambitions. “For me, peace

of mind is having my family here with

me on the farm.”

The path to sustainability

Balbino’s family is on its way to a

future that is already the present for

farmer Genival de Melo, 39. This rural

producer is also a Coopatan member,

and he is celebrating a major achieve-

ment. “Used to be, I had no place to

live. I got married and went to live with

my mother-in-law. Today we’ve managed to build our

own home. We bought a new car, got a truck and are

buying another piece of land,” says the resident of the

Ouro Preto community, in Presidente Tancredo Neves.

Like Balbino, Genival has been a cooperative mem-

ber since Coopatan’s inception. “Anybody who left

here around that time and came back today wouldn’t

recognize the place. You couldn’t make a living in the

countryside back then. I thought about leaving lots of

times, but I believed in farming,” he says.

Five more cooperative alliances are also helping

transform the Southern Bahia Lowlands: Piassava

Straw, Hearts-of-Palm, Fish Farming, Construction

and Starch. Together, they are contributing to the

sustainable development of over a thousand fami-

lies. “I’m proud to say that, nowadays, folks who live

in the countryside have a good life,” emphasizes

Genival.

Cassava fl our factory: one of

the highlights of the Cassava

Cooperative Alliance


62 INFORMA

ACHIEVEMENTS FOR BRAZIL

Joint efforts focused on innovation will help drive the nation’s growth

ARGUMENT


63INFORMA

Luis Fernando Cassinelliis Responsible for Research & Development at Braskem

preading the culture of innovation is an

important way of adding value to com-

panies’ products and services, making

them more competitive. But innovation

does not just happen when developing

new products and processes. It’s everywhere.

The drive to innovate is linked to the need to cre-

ate new procedures that will make an activity more

competitive, profi table and attractive to clients, and

it is most intense when people take charge of their

businesses with a strong sense of ownership.

Created in 2002, Braskem has inherited a wide

range of assets used for technological development.

According to the concept of the time, they originally

focused on providing technical assistance, improv-

ing processes acquired from third parties, enhanc-

ing products, customizing products for the Brazilian

market and developing markets in conjunction with

clients.

These assets, which include pilot plants, lab fa-

cilities, R&D (Research & Development) teams and

activities related to the process of innovation man-

agement, have garnered recognition from the mar-

ket and research funding agencies and have been

used as an example to encourage other companies

to invest in innovation and technology.

Keenly aware of the importance of innovation

and technology to national development, improv-

ing income distribution and the competitiveness of

our exports, the Brazilian Government, based on

Law no. 11,196 of 2005 (the “good law”) has begun

granting tax breaks to innovative companies, and

this issue has since become an integral part of the

national agenda.

In 2008, Braskem decided to expand the strate-

gic focus of its research and development model

from fast follower to developer of original ideas. To

do so, we created a Corporate Innovation and Tech-

nology area focused on medium- and long-term

development.

A movement led by the CNI (National Confeder-

ation of Industry) in 2009 launched the MEI (Busi-

ness Movement for Innovation), involving the top

companies operating in Brazil. This forum holds

regular meetings to discuss the national agen-

da for innovation, with the active participation of

Braskem.

The company’s Corporate Innovation and Tech-

nology area has begun a systematic assessment of

opportunities for diversifi cation in areas that syner-

gize with Braskem’s current businesses. It is keep-

ing a close eye on the situation of intellectual prop-

erty in areas of interest, harmonizing best practices

in innovation at the corporate unit and business

units and actively managing knowledge.

Projects currently in the pipeline include renew-

able raw materials, catalysts and production pro-

cesses for plastic resins developed with proprietary

technology that will drive Braskem’s autonomous

growth at a lower cost, without interference from

technology suppliers. Expectations are that these

projects will start coming to fruition in 2013.

In its corporate area and business units, Braskem

has more than 420 patents fi led, 300 researchers,

two units of the Center for Innovation and Technol-

ogy (in Triunfo, RS, in Brazil, and Pittsburgh, PA, in

the USA), a laboratory at the LNBio (National Bio-

technology Laboratory) in Campinas, São Paulo,

linked to the Brazilian MCT (Ministry of Science and

Technology), and a pilot plant for the manufacture of

high-performance fi ber in Bahia, totaling USD 400

million in assets.

Located in Bahia, the pilot plant for high molecu-

lar-weight polyethylene fi ber will make it possible to

generate new solutions for the exploration of the pre-

salt oil fi elds and anchoring of deep-water platforms.

It is also important for the area of defense (used to

make armored vehicles and helmets) and the manu-

facture of special clothing, fi shing lines, safety gloves

and auxiliary sails for oil ships, used to save fuel.

All these results, which are down to the combined

efforts of the private sector, academia, research cen-

ters and government, are the achievements of Bra-

zil and Brazilians. They will help drive our country’s

economic growth and boost the wellbeing of the Bra-

zilian people.

S

63INFORMA


64 INFORMA


65INFORMA

66

68

70

72

76

77

78

Reports about the recent achievements of the Odebrecht Organization’s teams in Brazil and worldwide, and features on the daily lives of our subsidiaries’ members

OOG and DSME shipyard members celebrate workplace

safety record in South Korea

Construction of the Chaglla hydroelectric plant refl ects

the power of Peruvian investments in energy generation

Jairo Brito recalls the people who have shaped his way of

working and seeing the world

Ruta del Sol, in Colombia, is one of the most important

infrastructure projects built in Latin America in recent years

A program underway in Peru is based on the concept of

alternate practices

Folks: the interests and achievements of Wilson Lozano,

Camila Guerbas and Carlos Gabos

Antonio Cardilli’s video interview launches the

Savvy – Folks who’ve Learned from Work and Life project

&PEOPLENEWS

Ruta del Sol

concession company

member at a toll

plaza in Colombia

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pril 18 was a red-letter day at

the DSME shipyard in South

Korea, where the Norbe VIII

and Norbe IX drill ships were built,

and work continues on two other

drilling rigs, ODN I and ODN II. On

that date, the teams building those

rigs celebrated eight million man/

hours worked between January 2010

and April of this year without a sin-

gle lost-time accident. This means

that during that period, all the 2,500

shipyard workers performed their

tasks with absolute safety, working

12 hours a day without harming their

health or productivity. “This victori-

ous milestone is a win for everyone,

but it was only made possible by the

unity of all the companies participat-

ing in these projects, who ensured

strict compliance with safety stan-

dards,” says OOG Project Director

Pedro Mathias.

A consensus on that issue among

the over 10 companies participating

in the project – a joint venture led

by Odebrecht Oil & Gas (OOG) and

DSME – was the starting point for

ensuring the workplace safety lev-

els achieved so far. Accidents also

happen due to lack of planning,

so the leaders of OOG and DSME

got together to formulate a plan in

which they agreed to pay periodic

visits to the yard to inspect the fa-

cilities and working conditions.

They agreed that no violation of the

rules would be tolerated, and de-

viations would be immediately cor-

rected. “The next step was to share

our obsession with safety with the

workers,” says Mathias, who joined

A certain feelingHarsh weather conditions and high risks don’t stop teams at a shipyard in South Korea from setting a zero-accident safety record

SAFETY

written by RUBENY GOULART

A


67INFORMA

CBPO as an intern in 1981, and

worked at Odebrecht Perfurações

Ltda. (OPL) until 1997. He returned

in 2009 to join the Odebrecht Organi-

zation through OOG.

Working on the same page, the

companies’ leaders spread the cul-

ture of safety throughout the work-

place. Whenever a new stage of work

began, production was halted for an

hour-long meeting with the work-

ers, who attended talks on safety

and received explanatory materials

on accident prevention. Other sim-

ple but highly symbolic initiatives

rewarded the people who showed

outstanding compliance with safety

standards and, accordingly, exer-

cised leadership in relation to their

peers. In gestures highly valued in

Asian culture, the company’s lead-

ers publicly presented the workers

with gifts, certifi cates, their compa-

nies’ caps and shirts, and even res-

taurant coupons so they could dine

out with their families.

The role of

communication

The leaders of OOG and the

shipyard realized that, to prevent

accidents, they needed an effi cient

communication system that went

beyond giving lectures and putting

up posters throughout the manu-

facturing area. To this end, they

formed a group of leaders whose

main job was to disseminate safety

rules and culture among the work-

ers. However, the language barrier

was a major challenge. The leaders

spoke in English, which was trans-

lated into Korean, but at fi rst, be-

cause of differences that were more

cultural than linguistic, the mes-

sage was slightly garbled. Thanks

to the leaders’ missionary zeal,

that obstacle was eventually over-

come. “We made it very clear that

our goal was not to build ships at

the expense of hurting people, and

they realized that the safety require-

ments ensured that everyone was

protected,” explains Mathias.

To infl uence the workers, the

group of leaders relied on various

tools. One of them was cameras.

Any anomalies that presented risks,

from a bare wire to oil spilled on the

fl oor, was photographed for educa-

tional purposes and posted on the

factory’s bulletin boards. “Pictures

send a powerful message,” said

Mathias, who has been in Korea

since 2009 and oversees all of OOG’s

projects at the DSME yard.

The milestone of 8 million man/

hours worked without a single lost-

time accident is even more signifi -

cant considering the risks inherent

to operating a shipyard. What’s

more, at the peak of the projects,

DSME worked with more than 800

people, often in adverse condi-

tions, exposed to rain, snow and

wind. Worker turnover was another

challenge, as many profession-

als joining the workforce had to be

trained in accident prevention from

scratch.

In an environment like that, even

the slightest precaution makes all

the difference. The drill ships aver-

age 240 m in length and 107 m in

height, from the keel to the top of

the tower, which is equivalent to a

26-story building. Many workers

operate in tight spaces where the

air is thin, and in high temperatures

caused by hot welding, which is

widely used, not to mention that they

are constantly exposed to fl ammable

liquids like paints and solvents. Dan-

gers exist, but the OOG and DSME

teams have proved that achieving the

mark of 8 million man/hours was, in

itself, a well-deserved reward for ev-

eryone.

Drill ship Norbe IX

in South Korea: a

central role in setting

a workplace safety

record


68 INFORMA

rom Wednesdays to Sundays,

the fountains in the city of Lima’s

Parque de las Aguas put on a

sparkling light show. A few miles away,

in Larcomar, Peruvians and tourists

stroll along the well-lit beachfront bou-

levard. “The country has 6,300 MW of

installed power. If we continue to grow

like we have in recent years, we will need

more than 12,000 MW by 2020,” says Er-

lon Arfelli, President of Empresa Gen-

eradora Huallaga (EGH), a subsidiary of

Odebrecht Energia.

EGH is responsible for the con-

cession for the Chaglla hydroelectric

plant, which is under construction in

the Department of Huanuco, 420 km

from Lima. This is the fi rst time that

Odebrecht has participated in a pow-

er concession outside of Brazil. As in

1979, when the Organization won its

fi rst contract outside Brazil, for the

Charcani V hydroelectric plant, also

in Peru, this challenge is an impor-

tant milestone. “We will change our

profi le in this country, running the

entire supply chain, and it has been

a gratifying experience,” says Erlon.

The “entire supply chain” means that

Odebrecht Peru is also responsible

for building the plant, a USD 1.2-bil-

lion project that will add 406 MW to

the national system when completed

by 2015.

The river brings the futureThe Chaglla hydroelectric plant will give a key boost to energy generation in Peru and transform a region with major growth potential

PERU

written by JÚLIO CÉSAR SOARES photos by GUILHERME AFONSO

Chaglla hydroelectric plant

construction site and, opposite, a local

merchant: fresh expectations

for residents of a once-isolated region

F


69INFORMA

Chaglla will be built in a densely for-

ested area in the Peruvian Amazon. “In

2011, we are building the infrastructure

for the project,” says Project Director

Sergio Panicali. That stage of the proj-

ect involves building 40 km of roads on

the left bank of the Huallaga River, in

addition to rehabilitating the dirt road

that already runs along the right bank.

The plant’s design is different from

conventional hydros. The powerhouse,

which is usually located near the dam,

will be built 15 km away. “To get the

water to the plant so it can generate

power, we will build a tunnel that will

take advantage of the falls in the river

between the dam and powerhouse,”

explains Sergio. Also, the spillway will

not be an integral part of the dam. In-

stead, it will be on the left bank of the

river. “We will have three 1-km spillway

tunnels for the reservoir,” he explains.

A fourth tunnel will run alongside

the spillway tunnels to supply the 6 MW

Small Hydropower Plant (SHP), which

will also be built as part of this project.

“We decided to use an SHP to harness

the energy from the dam’s mandatory

instream fl ow,” says Sergio. The “in-

stream fl ow” is the amount of water re-

quired to ensure that the stretch of river

between the dam and the powerhouse

does not go dry.

Future tourist attraction

Before ground is even broken for the

construction of the plant, residents of

Chaglla will already enjoy the benefi ts

of the project, according to Mayor Mi-

chaela Tolentino. “The roadworks will

improve access to communities near

Chaglla, which are on the right bank of

the Huallaga and cut off from neighbor-

ing provinces,” she says.

In addition, the project’s Sustain-

ability Program plans to turn the region

into a tourist destination. “We have plans

in place to make the dam’s reservoir a

pleasant spot for tourists to visit for rest

and relaxation. The other side of the

river, toward the dam, will be focused on

adventure tourism,” says Paola Nacca-

rato, the project’s offi cer Responsible for

Sustainability. Because it fl ows through

a canyon in the rain forest, the Huallaga

River is surrounded by beautiful scenery

and rock formations.

Paola explains that her program’s

activities are not limited to tourism.

“Huánuco produces some of Peru’s

fi nest coffee, as well as cocoa and po-

tatoes. We want to enable producers

to manage the entire supply chain,”

she says.

The project that is having the biggest

impact on the community, however, is

the Creer Program, the Peruvian version

of the Acreditar (Believe) program, which

was created during construction of the

Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant in

Rondônia, Brazil. “We came here a year

before the cornerstone was laid for this

project to groom skilled workers,” says

Gonzalo Bussalleu, the offi cer Respon-

sible for Institutional Relations. “The fi rst

edition, held in April 2010, trained and

certifi ed 863 people from this region,” he

recalls. “During the fi rst two months of

construction, 88 of our current members

participated in the Creer program and

are now working on the service fronts as

well as in administrative areas.”

A native of Chaglla, Cleni Climer

Claudio Cudeño, a driver who acquired

his professional skills through Creer,

says the program has changed his life.

“We learned about the environment

and everyone’s individual responsibility.

I think the program will not only help

those who got a job on this project but

everyone who takes part in it,” he ob-

serves.

In July, the program began accepting

applicants from communities near the

project for the next edition. “Our goal is to

have 800 more students and steadily ex-

pand the number of members trained by

Creer, who are all local residents. To do

so, we will work with mobile classrooms

to reach as many people as possible,”

says Gilda Cespedes, Responsible for

the Creer Program. She expects to have

2,500 applicants this time around.

Chaglla is a dream that is com-

ing true for the Huanuqueño people,

according to the President of the Re-

gional Government of Huánuco, Luis

Raúl Picón. “For over 50 years, there’s

been talk of building a plant on the

Huallaga, and that is what the local

community wants. That dream is be-

coming reality and will bring a variety

of investments to this Department, as

well as directly creating about 2,000

jobs and indirectly generating another

10,000 opportunities.”


70 INFORMA

The luck of the plucky

His passion for challenges has resulted in transforming experiences for Jairo, both in work and life

PROFILE: Jairo Brito Gomes

written by ANA CECÍLIA AMERICANO photo by LÍVIA AQUINO

“Working with Sister Dulce was an up-close and personal experience of someone who truly lives to serve”


71INFORMA

Jairo Brito Gomes considers

himself a lucky man. Lady

Luck has helped him many

times in life, he says, to guide and

shape his career at Odebrecht. An

economist who graduated from the

Federal University at Bahia (UFBA),

he has had unique opportunities and

been a witness to history in the vari-

ous countries where he has worked.

For him, life has been generous

in the challenges it presents, as well

as enabling him to work with sev-

eral leaders who showed him how

to make the most of every situation.

The father of three, Jairo admits to

being in love with Odebrecht. “I go

where the company sends me and I

stay there as long as it takes.”

His passion for the Organization

was born 33 years ago, when he

embarked on his fi rst Action Pro-

gram as an intern, and has grown

ever since. He says that being hired

in 1978 by Marcos Lima, who was

then Responsible for Audits at Con-

strutora Norberto Odebrecht’s (CNO)

Salvador headquarters (he is now

Responsible for Odebrecht Admi-

nistradora e Corretora de Seguros

– OCS, the Organization’s captive

broker), was one of his fi rst lucky

breaks.

“By a stroke of luck, it happened

in 1981,” he says. That year, Jairo

went to work at a construction site.

“I was working on a project that Mr.

Norberto Odebrecht himself was

personally supervising on Satur-

days, and he was interested in ev-

ery detail,” he recalls.

For the young Head of Adminis-

tration, that experience was even

more rewarding because he was

gifted with Sister Dulce as a client.

Known for her social work for the

poor and sick, the tireless nun was

building a project that became a

landmark in Salvador: Santo Anto-

nio Hospital.

According to Jairo, one of his

jobs was managing stores of mate-

rials. Therefore, it was not unusual

for him and Sister Dulce to set out

together in a truck to collect dona-

tions around the city. “It was an up-

close and personal experience of

someone who truly lives to serve,”

he says. The nun’s goodness trans-

formed his world view and had a di-

rect impact on his career. “It made

me want to refocus my work on

dealing more with people.”

A few years later, the same kind

of luck that accompanied him in

Bahia took him across the Atlan-

tic to Portugal, to work at the Ode-

brecht subsidiary Bento Pedroso

Construções (BPC), where his lead-

ers were Paulo César Fonseca and

Hilberto Silva, both in the Financial

area. “For me, they were my com-

pass,” says Jairo. While there, his

mission would be to train local pro-

fessionals and spread the Odebrecht

Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO).

On his return from Portugal,

Jairo went to Salvador, Bahia, to

work as the Administrative-Finan-

cial Manager of the Organization’s

Headquarters. There, he once again

had the opportunity to interact with

the Organization’s founder, Norber-

to Odebrecht. “Every encounter with

him was a lesson learned,” recalls

Jairo. “Even when demands were

being made, the observations were

made quietly, without any hurry.”

Jairo says he also learned a lot

during the time he spent in Angola

and Mozambique. In those coun-

tries, he experienced the challenges

facing the peoples of Africa. In An-

gola, during the period of armed

confl ict in that country, there were

tense situations at some of the Ode-

brecht construction sites, and they

needed the protection of the Ango-

lan armed forces. In one of the most

emotional moments of his career, it

fell to Jairo to manage the evacua-

tion of the team that worked on the

construction of the Capanda hydro-

electric plant on the Kwanza River

in Malange province in 1996. “When

the plane took off, a colleague start-

ed singing the national anthem,” he

says. The memory gives him goose

bumps. “We all sang arm in arm,

with tears in our eyes.” For Jairo,

Lady Luck played a major role in

that episode, too. “We all got out of

there safely,” he recalls.

Today, after having lived in São

Paulo, where he worked with Faus-

to Aquino, the offi cer Responsible

for Administration and Finance at

Odebrecht Engenharia Industrial,

Jairo is in Venezuela. He’s the Ad-

ministrative and Financial Manager

of Converpro, a joint venture of

Odebrecht and the state oil com-

pany PDVSA (Petroleos de Venezu-

ela S.A.), under the leadership of

Project Director Paulo Sá. Based

in Caracas, he is carrying on with

his mission of spreading TEO. “We

have lots of new people here, and

we need to communicate our val-

ues,” he says.

Jairo is very close to his family.

His second wife, Jane, and his third

child, Caique, 8, have joined him in

Caracas. The economist who once

worked alongside Sister Dulce on

a daily basis is happy and increas-

ingly motivated, both personally

and professionally. About his role

at Odebrecht today in Venezuela, he

emphasizes: “Nothing is better than

working with people.”

71INFORMA


INFORMA72

Approachroute The symbol of resumed operations in

Colombia is the construction of one of the most important infrastructure projects in Latin America

COLOMBIA

written by ZACCARIA JUNIOR photo by MARCELO PIZZATO

W e’ve never left Colom-

bia. We’ve been here for

19 years.” That obser-

vation from Luiz Antonio Bueno

Jr., CEO of Odebrecht Colombia,

sums up a history that dates back

to 1992. That year, the company

became responsible for the con-

struction of oil pumping stations

for British Petroleum for the next

two years. After that, from 1994 to

1995, it took charge of the Port of

Drummond project. In later years,

it added the La Loma-Santa Marta

Railroad to its track record, a proj-

ect that resulted in the reconstruc-

tion of 223 km of the national rail

network, including design, fabri-

cation, assembly and operation of

the entire superstructure, as well

as construction of a thermal pow-

er plant, a sewage treatment plant

and, fi nally, the Miel I hydroelec-

tric plant (375 MW) in Caldas, built

with roller-compacted concrete,

and still considered the world’s

highest RCC dam: 192 m high and

354 m long.

Having completed those con-

tracts in 2003, Odebrecht stayed in

Colombia to look for new business

opportunities until, in 2009, it won

the contract for the Ruta del Sol

Highway – one of Latin America’s

most important infrastructure and

engineering works in recent years

– and the Tunjuelo-Canoas inter-

ceptor, a sanitation (water and

sewer) project in Bogota.

“The resumption of the Orga-

nization’s activities in Colombian

territory is explained by the fact

that the country has achieved good

political, economic and social con-

ditions that will ensure its sustain-

able development,” says Bueno

Junior. Emphasizing that his mis-

sion is to restructure the Organi-

“


73INFORMA

zation’s presence in that country

and make the most of opportuni-

ties and businesses, both quantita-

tively and qualitatively, he says that

the way forward is promising, sup-

ported by an environment where the

rule of law prevails. “Odebrecht is

positioning itself in this country in

two ways: as a contractor and as a

company that invests in infrastruc-

ture, because in the next few years

the Government will be developing

large engineering projects struc-

tured as PPPs (public-private part-

nerships) and public works con-

cessions, which foster a long-term

relationship and a commitment to

the development of this country,”

he explains.

Bueno Junior’s observations

are based on truly attractive facts

and fi gures. The country has a GDP

of USD 250 billion/year, a popula-

tion of 44 million people, major oil

reserves, and the fourth-largest

coal reserves on the planet. It was

recently rated “investment grade”

(a rating agency risk category con-

ferred on a country or company

to demonstrate its ability to meet

fi nancial commitments) and has a

relatively stable economy, demon-

strating that it has what it takes to

encourage the march of growth.

Resuming operations

In 2009, Odebrecht Colombia

won the contract to build the Tun-

juelo-Canoas interceptor. Led by

Colombian Project Director Jorge

Barragán, it involves building 11

km of tunnels, each about 5 m in

diameter, which will convey sewage

from Bogota to the future Canoas

Treatment Plant. The USD 120-mil-

lion project is divided into stages,

starting with the sewer pipe and

Ruta del Sol: improving transport

infrastructure. Below,

Jorge Barragán in one of the

tunnels of the Tunjuelo-Canoas

Interceptor: the nation is

investing in sanitation


INFORMA74

construction of the tunnel leading

to the treatment plant, as well as

a power tunnel at the treatment

plant. In line with the partnerships

with Colombian companies that

Bueno Junior mentioned, Ode-

brecht has formed a joint venture

with Cass Constructores to build

the project.

The Ruta del Sol Highway is a

project of a completely different

magnitude. It is the most important

route in a country with some of the

fewest paved roads in Latin Ameri-

ca. The 1,071-km highway involves

a USD 2.5-billion investment and

will be divided into three sectors.

Ruta del Sol SAS, a concessionaire

led by Odebrecht (62.1%), with two

Colombian partners, Corfi colom-

biana (33%) and Solarte (4.99%),

is responsible for Sector 2, which

represents an investment of ap-

proximately USD 1 billion.

Considered the largest and

most important section of the

Ruta del Sol, Sector 2 is 528 km

in length. It begins in Puerto

Salgar and ends in San Roque,

connecting the capital, Bogota,

to the Caribbean Sea. Odebrecht

is also responsible for the con-

struction of this section. Ground

was broken in May 2011 and the

roadworks will completed in fi ve

years. The concession period,

which includes operation and

maintenance, is 20 years.

The Ruta del Sol project also

includes the expansion and con-

struction of a stretch in rural Co-

lombia, beginning in the town of

Villeta (80 km northwest of Bo-

gota) and running through eight

departments and 39 counties, an

area representing 26.1% of na-

tional GDP and 30% of the popu-

lation. This venture will make

Colombia more competitive in the

international market and help im-

prove access roads to the ports of

Cartagena, Santa Marta and Bar-

ranquilla, which account for 52%

of the country’s port traffi c.

Community outreach

Eder Ferracuti, President of

the Ruta del Sol concessionaire,

observes that since operations of

the highway began in April 2010,

the need to work with the local

community has gained promi-

nence and resulted in the creation

of nine Community Service Cen-

ters as bases for running the Ba-

sic Social Plan. That plan offers

support programs for the com-

munities impacted by the project,

including the User Program (that

ensures constant communication

between the highway’s users and

the concessionaire), the Safe Mo-

bility Program (taking measures

to improve safety on the road) and

the Communicate and Neighbors

Program (a place where the local

community can go to make sug-

gestions and complaints about

the project); the Initiatives Pro-

gram (which supports productive

projects in the sphere of infl uence

of Sector 2 of the highway); and

Ruta del Sol toll plaza: a

special period for the nation’s

investments in transport

infrastructure


75INFORMA

the Reinhabit Program (which

seeks to mitigate the impacts on

communities directly affected by

the project). “It’s a huge respon-

sibility and a very special time.

This is the longest highway in

the country, and we are respon-

sible for the longest stretch. So

far, there have been no exam-

ples of complete success in the

history of road concessions in

Colombia,” says Eder.

The factors that set this new

era of concessions apart are

clear. As soon as they entered

the concessionaire’s center of

operations, the Odebrecht Infor-

ma team saw attendants trained

to communicate information to

users, and a large-screen moni-

tor that displays images from

cameras already installed along

the route. The people working in

that room can also determine the

exact location of each of the 70

support vehicles the conces-

sionaire uses to operate the

concession, including vans,

tow trucks and cranes. To

ensure the safety of that

528-km stretch of Sector 2, the

concessionaire has signed a Co-

operation Agreement with the

Colombian Highway Police cov-

ering more than 3,000 items,

including 56 high-powered mo-

torcycles, dozens of cell phones

and computers and hundreds of

traffi c cones, which should help

the police patrol the area.

In addition to operation and

maintenance, under Eder Fer-

racuti’s leadership Ruta del Sol’s

operations also include building a

further 528 km and widening the

existing roadway. This is an exam-

ple of the Odebrecht Organization’s

investment arm giving way to the

construction arm. Manuel Ricardo

Cabral Ximenes, Project Director

of Consorcio Constructor Ruta del

Sol (Consol), the joint-venture con-

tractor formed by Odebrecht and

Colombian contracting fi rms Cor-

fi colombiana and CSS Constructo-

res S.A., explains that they are us-

ing sophisticated heavy equipment,

350 units of which were acquired

directly by Consol out of the total of

820 that will be used along the entire

length of Sector 2. When describ-

ing the project, Manuel high-

lights the use of three Shuttle

Buggies for the fi rst time on an

Odebrecht project – equipment

used to keep the layer of asphalt

smooth. “Thanks to these ma-

chines, we can keep trucks and

pavers from bumping into each

other, maintaining constant

speed in the execution of the

asphalt layer so it isn’t wavy,”

observes Manuel, who will de-

liver the project by 2016, with

the help of a workforce of 5,000

people.

Manuel Ximenes:

project uses 820

pieces of heavy

equipment


INFORMA76

quick tour of Lima, Peru,

reveals a growing city. Real

estate and road projects

are multiplying and changing the

landscape. These days, investment

in workers’ training and qualifi ca-

tions is crucial for the Peruvian capi-

tal. “This is a major challenge: young

people are absorbed into the labor

market in the last year of college,

and generally speaking, businesses

don’t have a vision of joint educa-

tion combining theory and practice,

which hurts the students’ grades,”

says the Dean of the Pontifi cal Cath-

olic University of Peru (PUCP), Daniel

Torrealva. Implemented in October of

last year, Odebrecht Peru’s Alternate

E-Pr@ctices Program can help turn

that situation around.

Fifteen of the 359 civil engineer-

ing students at the National Univer-

sity of Engineering (UNI) and PUCP

who applied for the program’s se-

lection process are already on their

way to helping meet the challenge.

The Alternate E-Pr@ctices Program

gives students an opportunity to ex-

perience the daily life of a construc-

tion site, learn the entire process

of carrying out a project, and come

into contact with the Odebrecht Cul-

ture. “The course has two stages:

face-to-face, during the holiday

period, from January to March and

in July and August, and online, on a

daily basis,” said Liliana Vertiz, the

offi cer Responsible for People and

Organization at Odebrecht Peru.

While taking the course, students

are offi cially Odebrecht interns until

they complete the program in their

senior year. “After that, their leader

will assess them and decide which

project these young people will be

working on, according to each indi-

vidual’s background,” says Liliana.

She says the selection process

was very challenging. “There was

huge interest among students when

we introduced the program. At the

end of the fi rst stage of testing – sim-

ilar to the Young Partner Program –

53 candidates passed and we needed

to reduce that number.” To do so, the

program team introduced a new ac-

tivity based on improvisation. “It was

important to know the ‘emotional’

side of each of the participants and

identify who, in some way, was best

suited to our culture,” says Liliana.

Raul Rojas, 21, a student at UNI,

was quick to adapt. “The Odebrecht

Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO)

is a philosophy of life,” he says.

“It’s different, because it shows

that it’s not enough to just do a job.

You have to build a project with the

desire to serve and satisfy the cli-

ent.” Dennis Sanchez, 22, a PUCP

student, notes that TEO “shows the

importance of being more than a

good engineer. It is also important

to be a good person.”

Because most of the classes

are taught online, the program

does not interfere with partici-

pants’ studies. “In the case of the

Alternate E-Pr@ctices Program,

as the name implies, theory and

practice go hand in hand,” says

Daniel Torrealva.

The Dean of the UNI, Javier Pi-

qué, points out that participating

in this program will enrich young

people’s careers. “In college, they

receive basic instruction, so it is es-

sential for them to experience the

practical side of the profession.”

Piqué also highlights the program’s

benefi ts for Peruvian engineer-

ing and national development. “We

will have professionals who do their

jobs confi dently, and since I believe

that Odebrecht wants to establish

deeper roots in this country, it is

important that we have this identity,

that the company’s workforce be

Peruvian.”

written by JÚLIO CÉSAR SOARES

photo by GUILHERME AFONSO

Students have a chance to experience the daily life of a construction site

Theory and practice

PEOPLE DEVELOMENT

From left, Raul Rojas, Julia

Alva, Alfredo Alfaro and

Dennis Sanchez, participants

in the Alternate E-Pr@tices

Program: complete view of

the professionA


77INFORMA

From countryside

to seaside

A native of Conchal, São Paulo, Wilson Mario Fadel Lo-

zano, 34, graduated in Civil Engineering in Bauru, also

in São Paulo State, and has three graduate degrees – in Logis-

tics, Administration and Project Management. He plays guitar,

and his favorite style is sertanejo (Brazilian country). He loves

life in the countryside and being in close contact with people.

However, he has lived and worked in the Port of Santos for the

last six years. He is accustomed to life on the coast and mar-

ried to a local resident. He has even started enjoying the ocean

more and going on boat rides. He likes Santos, but is still a

loyal Corinthians fan – it never occurred to him to celebrate

when the city’s soccer club won the Liberators of the Americas

Cup. He took the helm of the engineering area for the port ter-

minals company Embraport (Empresa Brasileira de Terminais

Portuários) in late 2009, and has overseen construction of the

Embraport Terminal from start to fi nish. “I’ll celebrate when

the fi rst ship docks there!”

The ocean has become part of his life

C amila Guerbas grew up on her grandfather’s farm in

Mato Grosso do Sul. Since she was a girl, she has ob-

served plants and animals, and it was no surprise when

she decided to study Biology in college. She joined ETH

Bioenergy, at the Santa Luzia Unit, three years ago. To-

day, at the age of 25, she represents the company on the

HSE (Health, Workplace Safety and Environment) Com-

mittee of the Social Energy Project in Nova Alvorada do

Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, a town she knows very well. Her

favorite pastime is fi shing with her grandfather on the

river that runs through the farm where she was raised.

“We only catch what we can eat,” she explains. At work,

her goal is to combine eco-friendly practices with eco-

nomic development and production. Camila also takes

part in environmental education events at local schools.

“We must learn the principles of sustainability from

childhood,” she says.

Nature lover

at work and play

Born in Jaú, São Paulo, Carlos Gabos has always loved machines. He

got a technical diploma and went on to study Mechanical Engineering

in college, when he was married with three small children. Today, all of

his children are engineers, married and living on their own. Carlos, 55, has

developed a liking for orchids, woodwork and cooking. On weekends, he

cooks for friends and relatives, and devotes himself to fertilizing and repot-

ting his orchids. “It’s a hobby that involves hard work and dedication, but the

beauty of the fl owers makes it all worthwhile,” he says. After three years in

AFEQ (Functional Equipment Support), he is now an Equipment Manager.

He also teaches. Overcoming his shyness, he gives lectures and develops

programs to groom and certify key professionals for engineering and con-

struction projects. “I believe that knowledge should be shared,” he says.

Multiple

interests

An engineer who cooks, grows fl owers, teaches and more

She took an early interest in the environment

PH

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BR

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AR

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PH

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O:

HO

LA

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CA

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FOLKS

PH

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INFORMA78

Looking for wisdom and knowledge

SAVVY

T he fi rst member to tell his

own story is Antonio Car-

dilli, who joined the Or-

ganization in 1979. Cardilli is the

creator of Acreditar, the Continu-

ing Professional Education Pro-

gram, which began in Brazil on

the Santo Antônio hydroelectric

plant project in Rondônia, and

has been replicated at other Ode-

brecht projects in other states and

countries.

In a video statement given to

reporter Valber Carvalho, he de-

scribes, among other things, how

the Acreditar program got started,

his relationship with indigenous

peoples and the thrill of seeing

a worker return his Family Grant

card. Cardilli describes himself as

a man who likes people and works

for their good – a “peopologist.”

Here are some excerpts from

Cardilli’s statement. The full video

version (16 minutes) can be viewed

at Odebrecht Informa’s website

(www.odebrechtonline.com.br).

Arriving in the Amazon

I joined the Madeira Project in

2005, and soon started to attend

meetings with the communities

that were affected by construction

of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric

plant.

I took part in 64 participatory

meetings, from Calama, near

the Amazon region, to Abunã, on

Bolivian border. I visited commu-

nities I never dreamed existed.

There was one called Ramal dos

Arrependidos (Branch of the Re-

pentant), consisting of six or sev-

en families who lived in the heart

of the rain forest.

The real Brazilians are the ones

out there in the Amazon, sticking

to the land and giving it its proper

value. We were the newcomers,

and why had we come? To move

them away. We would have to re-

settle them because progress was

coming. How could we go about

it? We began to hold meetings

with them so they could partici-

pate in decisions. In the past, not

long ago, two or three technicians

would fl y over an area in a plane,

take a look at a community and

say: “That one there, we’ll give it a

school; that one will get a hospital;

and we’ll build a road over there,”

but that was not always what they

needed. We did things differently.

We wanted them to build accord-

ing to their needs, and it worked.

Today we don’t have any problems

with the resettled communities.

Learning from

indigenous people

I learned a lot from the Indians.

Indians have no sense of time or

schedules. They do things when

they feel like it. A funny thing hap-

pened. We scheduled a meeting

in an indigenous community for

9 am. The fi rst Indian arrived at

5 pm. Their clock is biological,

not one that tells time like ours,

and we have to understand that to

work with them in harmony.

Missing skills

If you look back at the history of

Rondônia, you’ll see that extrac-

tion has always been part of the

region’s economic life: in the 18th

century there was a rubber boom,

and then came the cycle of con-

struction of the Madeira-Mamoré

Railway, in the late 19th, early

20th centuries. The last boom was

In this issue, Odebrecht Informa is introducing Savvy: Folks who’ve Learned from Work and Life, a series of reports, stories and memories from, by and about Odebrecht Organization members

Personal account by Antonio Cardilli, given to Valber Carvalho

Edited for Odebrecht Informa by Alice Galeffi


79INFORMA

s

the mining period, which was the

most predatory of all, and lasted

for years. And there was a nag-

ging question in my mind: “What

can we do to change this situa-

tion?”

Then we conducted a survey

in the region and found that al-

though there were 30,000 unem-

ployed people in Porto Velho, if

we had started the project that

day, we could only count on 30%

of the local population at most,

given the lack of job skills there.

The rest would have to come from

elsewhere. That is, we would have

to bring in about 8,000 or more

people, which would aggravate

the social problems in region,

such as poor sanitation (water

and sewer), education, health,

public safety, etc.

Inspiration for

Acreditar

That’s when the light bulb lit

up: “We have to change this story.

We can’t build this project the way

we’ve always done.”

There was only one way to do

that, which was trying to provide

the local people with the neces-

sary skills. We looked for a gov-

ernment or private entity that had

already done something similar

on that scale. (At the time we

were thinking of grooming 10,000

eligible people.) We looked all

over Brazil and couldn’t fi nd one.

We just found bits and pieces that

didn’t suit our needs. That’s when

I decided to put this program to-

gether and call it Acreditar – “Be-

lieve.”

I have to believe that society

will get on board with this pro-

gram; that there will be students

Antonio Cardilli giving

a talk in Rondônia: “Are you

a ‘peoplogist’?”


INFORMA80

to educate and train. And I believe

we can provide them excellent job

skills and hire them to build this

project.

Beginning of Acreditar

I arrived here in Porto Velho on

January 14, 2008, along with part

of the team to start up the pro-

gram.

We went through the neighbor-

hoods to tell people about the pro-

gram: we visited churches, com-

munity associations, soccer fi elds

and bars. Wherever there were

more than four people in a bar we

would stop, open the van and ex-

plain the program. It worked – in

one week, I had 5,000 applicants.

We began teaching people job

skills six months before break-

ing ground for the plant. They

graduated and went out into the

job market. One day someone

said, “You’re just like a baker.” I

said: “A baker?” “You’re kneading

bread for someone else to eat.”

I told him I didn’t care. This was

an opportunity to get to know the

workers, and they were getting

to know my company, my orga-

nization. What I wanted was for

them to have lots of job offers in

the future, and for us to be their

fi rst choice. You can see the re-

sult: 85% of our workforce are lo-

cal people. And that makes a big

difference.

Worker returns Family

Grant card

Given the success of Acreditar,

we got a visit from President Lula

last year, which was overwhelm-

ing, not only for me but for the

whole team there.

One of our workers handed his

Family Grant card to the president,

telling him: “I don’t need this any-

more. Thank you for your help,

but now I can walk on my own two

legs. I’m a citizen. I’m a fi rst-class

citizen. I’m just as worthy as any

other.” It was incredibly moving.

If you ask me if I cried, I’m not

ashamed to say I did. I really did.

Are you a

“peopologist”?

Here’s what I say: liking people

doesn’t mean you’re their friend.

I’m not those people’s friend. I

don’t have a close relationship

with them, but I work for their

good. All my decisions are based

on helping people.

I use the term “peopologist.”

When a recent graduate or train-

ee comes to work with me, the

fi rst thing I ask the kid is: “Do you

like people?” “Yes, I do,” he says.

“Are you a ‘peopologist’?” “What’s

that?” A ‘peopologist’ is someone

who likes people. Does the strong

smell of workers make you sick to

your stomach? If it does you should

leave. If the stench of people’s

sweat disgusts you, you should go,

because you’re in the wrong place.

Lessons from his

grandfather

Someone else who taught me

to like people was my grandfather.

He took good care of his livestock,

the horses and donkeys that

worked for him, and when those

animals reached a certain age,

when they didn’t have the strength

to work on the farm, my grandfa-

ther didn’t sell them off like most

of his neighbors, who sold them to

the abattoirs.

Not him. My grandfather put

those animals out to pasture and

let them die of old age. He’d say:

“Son, that animal worked for me

and helped me, so now I’m going

to take care of him.” He’d take

corn out to feed the livestock ev-

ery day and I’d go with him. That

had a big infl uence on my child-

hood and I think that it infl uenced

my personality as well. It made

me come to like people, because

a person who treats animals that

way – well, I don’t even need to say

how well he treated people.


Founded in 1944, ODEbrECHT is a Brazilian organization made up of diversified businesses with global operations and world-class standards of quality. Its 140,000 members are present in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Next issue:Communities

rESPONSIbLE FOr COrPOrATE COMMUNICATION AT CONSTrUTOrA NOrbErTO ODEbrECHT S.A. Márcio Polidoro

rESPONSIbLE FOr PUbLICATIONS PrOGrAMS AT CONSTrUTOrA NOrbErTO ODEbrECHT S.A. Karolina Gutiez

bUSINESS ArEA COOrDINATOrS Nelson Letaif Chemicals & Petrochemicals | Andressa Saurin Ethanol & Sugar | Bárbara Nitto Oil & Gas | Daelcio Freitas Environmental Engineering | Sergio Kertész Real Estate Developments | Coordinator at Odebrecht Foundation Vivian Barbosa

EDITOrIAL COOrDINATION Versal Editores Editor-in-Chief José Enrique BarreiroExecutive Editor Cláudio Lovato Filho English Translation by H. Sabrina GledhillArt/Graphic Production Rogério NunesGraphic Design and Illustrations Rico LinsPhoto Editor Holanda Cavalcanti Electronic Publishing Maria Celia Olivieri

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EDITOrIAL OFFICES Rio de Janeiro +55 21 2239-1778 | São Paulo + 55 11 3641- 4743email: [email protected] Originally published in Portuguese. Also available in Spanish.

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Creativity and the spirit of service come together in a transforming encounter

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

# 155 vol. XXXVIII July/August 2011 English Edition

“People show their creativity by proving to be capable of viewing reality from

different angles and taking pleasure in playing

with ideas”

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